Integrity Matters Broadcasts
October 1, 2005
Listening
Dear Friends:
Thank you, in advance, for passing along your feedback
on our October, 2005 -- Broadcast: Listening.
It is time for us to listen to your feedback and shape
future Broadcasts around topics and timeframes that work
best with and for our readers.
Listening is a key to success and impact, personally
and professionally. Listening is a manifestation of integrity - as
it pertains to relationships. Constructive listening, more
than any other single activity, reflects our Eight
Attributes© of Integrity-Centered
Leadership. http://www.brachercenter.com/9questions.html When
you are listening, how often and thoroughly do you demonstrate:
- Character: consistency between word
and deed?
- Honesty: truthful communication?
- Openness: operational (and interpersonal)
transparency?
- Authority: encouragement of others
involved in the communication?
- Partnership: fulfillment of the
obligation to be a solid participant, in a timely way?
- Performance: treating conversations
with respect and appropriate confidentiality?
- Charity patiently seeking clarity
and understanding before making judgments?
- Graciousness: showing respect when
confirming and challenging others?
Five steps to more effective listening:
Step one: on the path to more effective
listening is to think, objectively, about how you conduct
yourself in various give-and-take situations. Then compare
your self-assessment, demonstrating communications courage
by soliciting external input, clear feedback, with input
from those with whom you associate. When perceptions are
offered - listen and respond, using only two words: thank
you.
On the subject of thinking: "Some people think
they are thinking when all they are really doing is rearranging
their prejudices." - attributed
to William James
In light of the above, be aware. If you make people think
that they are thinking, they will love you; but, if you
really cause them to think, especially about some of their
own inconsistencies, they might hate you.
Closed minds are disappointing and unproductive and there
is no end to which some people will go to avoid the labor
of thinking. In a wide variety of areas, prejudice rules
out honest and objective evaluation. Rigid thinking is
the lock on the door of a closed mind. For ways to open
the mind, strengthen thinking and improve listening, consider
these additional four steps:
Step two: on the subject of thinking,
to make sure you know how you are measuring up, answer
these six questions:
- How well do you listen?
- Do you communicate effectively?
- What is your level of clarity on issues?
- How do you tend to move vision to action?
- Will your cultural and behavioral concepts be readily
translated into operating behaviors?
- What will be your time-frame for engaging colleagues
(personally and professionally)?
Step three: determine the best time
for you to leverage the benefits of our Portrait© process
for and with your organization: http://www.brachercenter.com/PortraitProcess.html
Step four: Please respond to this: Have
you been fired - by those with whom you work? How
might you learn, for sure? What can you do after you
have been fired, to make things better, more productive
and more pleasant - to stay hired or get re-hired?
Here are answers and guidelines: http://www.brachercenter.com/WhenaBossGetsFired.html
Step five: To understand and capitalize upon
the candid and valuable input of those with whom you work,
utilize the Feedback© process of
Dimension Five Consultants, Inc.: http://www.brachercenter.com/feedback.html
It boils down to listening. Here is
what a colleague recently printed about me and our work: "Jim
Bracher and his team have ;provided executive counsel
for 8000 individuals, from around the world, for 26 years. By
leveraging objective behavioral information and relevant
expertise, clients increase efficiency, confidence and
productivity." Listening is
the foundation for success and is the platform for productivity,
in all aspects of living, personally and professionally: http://www.brachercenter.com/integrityarch.html
Assuming that it is true that we teach best what we most
need to learn; then please enjoy the three lessons below,
which are definitely for me and just maybe for a few others:
- "Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself
is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering
yourself is true power." -- Tao Te Ching
- "Maturity begins to grow when you can sense
your concern for others outweighing your concern for
yourself." -- John MacNaughton
- "More people would learn from their mistakes
if they weren't so busy denying them." - Anonymous
Success starts and ends with listening.
So, listen.
Please provide us with your feedback on this Broadcast,
so we can listen to you.
Sincerely,
Jim
