Speaking is good; listening is better...

·       Speaking is good; listening is better.

o   Everyone wants to be heard.

o   Especially your employees.

 

Most leaders are good at making speeches and telling people what to do. It’s a power thing. But listening is far more important. Your employees often know more about operational stuff and customer preferences and it’s important to listen to what they’ve learned and have to say. That’s why it’s important to talk to your staff and to take the extra time to listen to them. You can do that while walking around, scheduling meetings and focus groups, and having an open door. It takes courage to stand up and speak, and even more courage, and discipline, to sit down and listen. In the past, employees have told me how to alter designs, processes to be more efficient and respond to customer’s needs. Every time I stopped to listen, I learned something I didn’t know.  And that’s the kind of stuff you need to maximize your company’s performance. Make it a regular practice to listen to your employees today.

 

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965): British statesman, soldier, and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.