July 25, 2007
| Category: Business Resources, Management
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As small business owners, we are sometimes guilty of talking too much or dominating every business meeting. We might be carried away by our passion to delight our customers, or even frustration about our current business performance.
But do you know that listening is a good management style as well as a strong motivator to your employees? Leading by listening is a not new concept although it is not a common practice.
In fact, the 7th rule among the ten rules that worked for Sam Walton, founder of retailing giant Wal-Mart, is about listening to everyone and finding ways to get to talk.
The folks on the front lines — the ones who actually talk to the customer — are the only ones who really know what’s going on out there. You’d better find out what they know. This really is what total quality is all about. To push responsibility down in your organization, and to force good ideas to bubble up within it, you must listen to what your associates are trying to tell you.
So the next time you feel like talking, shut up and listen to what your partners or employees have to say. For starters, check out Tyner Blain’s post about ten active listening skills.
August 9th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
[...] time to listen to customer complaints and suggestions. Minimize talking and focus on what your company can do to [...]
August 30th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
[...] states, the more you talk, the less you communicate. Learn when to stop talking and start listening. You will miss a lot of insights if you don’t let your customers’ voices be [...]
August 30th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
[...] is a good combination with another management style discussed previously, leading by listening. You can call an informal forum with your trusted employees and open the session with a general [...]
September 5th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
[...] entrepreneurs lead by listening while others rule like tyrants. While there are pros and cons regarding each leadership style, [...]
September 6th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
[...] before you talk. You will learn more by listening to what people have to say about your business. You should focus on the needs of the person you are [...]
October 17th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
[...] finance, marketing and leadership. Although there is nothing wrong with that, we should learn to evaluate every advice and uncover any hidden agenda if there’s [...]
July 12th, 2008 at 9:00 am
[...] delegating responsibilities, do not allow employees to make any decision without consultation, fail to listen to sentiments, and somewhat focused on the details of the projects. If you are doing this then you [...]
July 12th, 2008 at 9:00 am
[...] shots and make big decisions. Your role is to motivate them and monitor their overall direction. Listening to your people and allowing them to make suggestions will make them feel [...]