Why Listening is Important as a Leader- Robin Trehan

Jan. 5, 2010 - PRLog -- Listening is vital in leadership. It provides you with information you need to make effective choices. As a leader, you have to be willing to listen to others. If you do this, it shows people that they don’t have to be afraid to come to you. When someone is reluctant to come to you, this could cause serious problems. It allows things to be kept bottled up inside and when it does finally come out, it usually ends up in conflict.

Listening allows you to understand another person’s point of view. When you allow yourself to be open minded to someone’s suggestions, it shows them that you are interested in their ideas. To be an effective leader, you cannot see things one-sided. You may have great ideas of your own, but listening to others opens a door of endless possibilities. It is possible that someone may have an idea that surpasses yours, but as a leader you have to be able to accept that. No one wants to be led by a closed mind.

Abraham Lincoln was a great leader, and he had excellent listening skills. He once said “When I am getting ready to reason with a man, I spend one-third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say and two-thirds about him and what he is going to say.” That is the attitude that every leader must have.

When you actively listen to others, it shows them you are not a self-absorbed leader. Active listening means that you actually take the time to really hear what others have to say. Do not interrupt others while they are speaking and wait until they are finished before you ask questions. Listening will allow you to excel in leadership. It will provide you with endless possibilities.

Robin Trehan is associted with Credit Capital Funding. More information www.iBulletin.com