Why Listening Is Hard and How to Fix It
We recently posted Ten Strategies to Improve Active Listening. Listening to others is a fundamental component of success. It fosters trust, enhances communication, builds relationships, boosts team morale, encourages innovation, and increases productivity. However, listening can be challenging for various reasons, including a lack of formal training and emotional, environmental, or habitual factors.
Here are six common leadership challenges to being a great listener and what you can do to fix them.
1. Distractions
Most leaders have busy personal and professional lives, so being preoccupied with life details, thoughts, worries, and to-do lists can make it hard to focus on conversations. Background noise, interruptions, or the need to multitask to get things done can also make listening difficult.
To Help: Practice Being Present
Before having a conversation, set aside any personal concerns, take a deep breath, clear your mind, eliminate distractions, and focus entirely on the person you are speaking with.
2. Forming A Response to Quick
This is a common issue for fast thinkers. Instead of fully listening, you formulate a response while the other person is still speaking. This can result in missing important details or failing to grasp what is being communicated.
To Help: Pause Before Responding
Before responding, take a moment to make sure the speaker has finished. Verbally summarize their key points prior to responding.
3. A Short Attention Span
Today, the average human attention span lasts only eight seconds, raising concerns about our capacity to focus. Coupled with ongoing work disruptions such as emails, meetings, and social media, it’s not surprising that leaders struggle to actively listen.
To Help: Participate in The Conversation
To maintain your focus, ask clarifying questions, make eye contact, use non-verbal cues like nodding, and lock in on what they are saying by repeating back in your mind short points they have shared.
4. Silence Anxiety
High-performing leaders often fear a pause in the conversation and hurry to fill the silence rather than continue to wait. Instead of allowing the other person to gather their thoughts to advance the discussion, they may quickly interrupt or shift to another topic.
To Help: Embrace Moments of Silence
Practice getting comfortable with dead air space. Do this by holding your response a little longer with each conversation. Use the pause to reflect and confirm the speaker has finished.
5. Lack of Habit Training
Listening is a skill that must be developed, no matter what a person’s experience level. However, not everyone has been taught this skill or encouraged to practice it regularly. In some instances, speaking is valued more than listening, reinforcing the problem of not actively listening.
To Help: Commit to Practicing Active Listening
Work on continuous improvement and seek feedback from staff, peers, leadership and the families you serve. Keep notes on what you hear in each conversation and use it to set goals to become better.
6. Overconfidence of Knowledge
As a leader it is easy to think you already have more knowledge or experience with what the other person is trying to share. This can prevent you from gaining additional insight, a new perspective, and a broader understanding.
To Help: Embrace an Attitude of Learning
When interacting with others lead with curiosity and believe there is always something new to learn from your conversation. Don’t assume you know someone’s perspective before they are able to fully explain. Avoid finishing others’ sentences and cutting them off as this usually shuts people down and quickly ends the discussion.
Listening Is Your Superpower
Learning to be a good listener is a great way to unlock your personal and professional superpowers. By taking time to cultivate the skill of active listening you will become an impactful leader who fosters a culture that puts others first, encourages communication, and minimizes conflict.
Click here to learn more about the benefits of using secure mobile Express Check-In, children’s and youth check-in, and volunteer scheduling to help manage your events.
For more safety information, subscribe to the KidCheck blog or connect with us on X, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.
