Almost everyone sincerely believes that he or she listens effectively, that it is a skill that they always had, but in reality are they listening or are they just simply hearing? Truthfully, only few people have come to believe and admit that they need to develop their listening skills. But, in fact, listening effectively is something that only a few of us can do. It is not because listening effectively is like rocket science, but because most of us have just never learned or adapted to the thought of listening effectively.
An outstanding leader should have effective listening as a trait that should be practiced and implemented on an everyday basis. Being an effective listener not only helps a leader see and understand situations in a different perspective, but it also helps them gain more knowledge from their subordinates. It also improves and strengthens the relationship of a leader and their subordinates, having that trust between the two individuals. Being an effective listener gives a leader the chance to better understand how to motivate his or her subordinates, having the knowledge of what gives them the drive to do what they do.
Effective listening is the key to motivating a group of individual. As stated on FM 6-22, 4-37 “Genuine motivation provides lasting energy because it is the internalization of goals and the desire to achieve them.” If a leaders subordinates are aware that their leader is listening effectively and paying close attention to what they are saying, then they will become more eager to get the chance to speak and share their ideas and experiences with everyone. This will create a positive atmosphere and good moral because everyone is cohesively coming together and building trust, coming to a realization that everyone has the same goal.
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Listening to what a subordinate has to say gives a leader a sense of what his or her subordinates’ goals are and their weakness’ , because when listening effectively the subordinate builds the trust to let his or her leader know of what he or she want to do and accomplish. With that knowledge, if a leader listen to the people he or she manage, the leader will learn what makes them tick, and the goals that his or her subordinates have. And with that information a leader would know what will be more effective at motivating his or her subordinates.
Motivation is an essential an individuals career because as stated on FM 6-22 6-1 “We should not just accept normal from our Soldiers, we should instill vitality and flow and high motivation so they can grow and develop and reach their untapped potential.” Knowing ones subordinates enhances the leaders knowledge in helping the individual to become the best character he can be. And in order to motivate an individual, a leader has listen effectively and continue to familiarize themselves with the individual.
A strong relationship between a group of individuals and a leader develops not overnight, but on a foundation of trust and respect. In reality, we listen to those that we care and value, the more important the individual is, the more we listen and hang onto every word they say. A leader that listens effectively to their subordinates earns the care and value an individual would have on a person that they respect, because they come to an awareness that despite the nonsense that he or she may be spurting his or her leadership is willing to listen, being open minded to any opinion his or her subordinates have. As John Bryan stated ‘You have to be willing sometimes to listen to some remarkable bad opinions. Because if you say to someone, ‘that is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard; get on out of here!’—then you’ll never get anything out of that person again, and you might as well have a puppet on a string or a robot.”
An individual that has a strong relationship with his or her leader respects any discipline, criticism, and guidance that his or her leader demonstrates because the relationship that the leader and individual has, has a strong platform of trust and confidence in one another, understanding what the leader envisions for his subordinate and the teams in its entirety. Communication builds a relationship and in order for a leader and subordinate to communicate efficiently, a leader has to listen effectively to his or her subordinate building a rapport of what both the leader and subordinate envisions for the team and themselves individually.
Perspective is very important in any aspects of life because not everybody is the same. We live in a diverse society where listening effectively can either make or break a relationship between a leader and his subordinates. In reference to ADRP 6-22 Army Leadership, chapter 3-33 to 3-36, it talks about the different characters that the Army has, and with every different character is a different perspective. Listening effectively as a leader develops an understanding and realization between a subordinate of different background because the leader has a broader view on what his or her subordinates may react upon, giving the leader a clear knowledge of what he or she should and should not do or say.
Effective listening helps a leader view the positive and negative view that a subordinate would catch because in a leadership position, the leader has been molded and trained to see just one side or perspective of a situation, in other words just the leader’s point of view. Whereas a subordinate may be able to see things that a leader is not able to see in a different standpoint, possessing a fresh set of eyes. Possessing the knowledge of the leaders’ subordinates, he or she can use the perspective that his or her subordinates have to better accomplish a mission and or determine a situation in a different view, not only what he or she determines is right.
‘Effective listeners remember that ‘words have no meaning – people have meaning.’ The assignment of meaning to a term is an internal process; meaning comes from inside us. And although our experiences, knowledge and attitudes differ, we often misinterpret each other’s messages while under the illusion that a common understanding has been achieved.’ wrote Larry Barker. A great leader listens effectively, a leader who just hears what his subordinate says is just a leader. Effective listening can open a leaders eyes to a more broad view of a situation, it can strengthen relationships with personnels that are either above or below him, and it gives him or her a sense of what motivates his or her subordinates. Getting to know an individual by the core can be done by just simply listening effectively to what he or she is saying.
