Listening For and/but/or Listening To

Right before last week's LISTEN! Audio Conference, it occurred to me that listening resides in two distinct areas: listening to and listening for.

Both listenings contribute critically to building and maintaining a successful organizational culture. (My definition of a "successful organizational culture" is one that demonstrates and profits from the behaviors, attitudes, and values it commits to, visually and verbally.)

Why do these two listenings make a difference to your organization's culture?

• Listening for means anticipating what's to be said, attentively awaiting the message or information. A savvy manager is always listening for telltale signs of success or difficulty. Listening for can be a very proactive behavior, giving you the chance to take early action, whether congratulating an employee's achievement early or offsetting a pending problem before it occurs.

• Listening to means giving attention to what is being said/shared at this moment. A savvy manager listens to everything s/he hears. Whether an employee comes to ask advice, lodge a complaint, share an emotion, or offer a suggestion, fully listening to what you hear gives you the chance to demonstrate your engagement in your employees. You already know how (much) that contributes to their engagement.

How do we distinguish between the two listenings?

• Listen for by applying attention to what you suspect is coming.  You do want to be on the ready, yet you do not want create negative self-fulfilling prophecies.  How do you achieve the first and avoid the second?

Open up your receptors to either/or. Do not lock into, "I know what's coming. I'm listening for it. I'm ready to deal with it as soon as I hear it." Open your thinking to, "I'm listening for signals of Worst Case Scenario and I'm listening for messages that the best is about to happen. I aim to listen to either one that occurs." 

Example: A new physician-owned boutique hospital is planned for your community. Concerning information and opinions from your suppliers, patients and community leaders, you want to listen for whatever they say. Listening for the bad news can limit how clearly you listen to how new competition might engage your people in better service, greater efficiency, higher morale. Listening for how good the new addition will be can prevent your listening to information that might help you enhance your employees' engagement in the face of competition.

• Listen to by allowing yourself to listen without filters, distractions, and reactions getting in the way. Make time to know what prevents you from listening openly and completely to others and  you increase your listening skills. Some common  obstacles to clear listening are
  • I know what s/he's going to say...
  • I've heard this before....
  • This won't affect me....
  • I'd rather be doing (watching, hearing)....
  • I've got so much already going on....

You may have an obstacle or two uniquely your own. Objectively identifying what limits your effective listening increases how well you listen to.

Listen to what is said, identify your reactions (emotional, conceptual, practical), and then hold them. Unless absolutely necessary, refraining from voicing at once what comes to your mind (or feelings) allows you to continue to listen, to attend the entire message, and to determine the appropriate time and manner to present your response.

Listening for and listening both provide great ways to carry your organization's culture forward by engaging you (and your people) in that culture.

[A more spiritual, somewhat different take on the same topic is at my Prosperitee weblog.]

Photo sources:
Windmill ... http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2323739125_a5c2a9e025_m.jpg
Waterfall ...www.flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/105507127/