"People don't quit jobs. They quit people." - Michael Cottrell, in Monday Morning Leadership
Grow to help our people grow. CAPT Mike Abrashoff took his ship from one of the worst to the best in the NAVY and told the story in It's Your Ship.
Part of his secret was "aggressive listening." He interviewed every ship member asking their likes, dislikes, and sought input on positive change. "A great leader is universally loved and admired not only by his peers but also his staff. One of the factors to being a great leader is that he must listen to people. If someone approaches you, give him your full, undivided attention. Doing so tells the person that you respect him and that he is important."
How many excellent leaders or coaches have you known who were poor listeners?
Nelson Mandela attended meetings with his father, noticing that his father spoke last after hearing the thoughts and opinions of others. That allowed him to share more nuanced opinions, addressing others' concerns.
An old saying tells us that because we have two ears and one mouth, we should listen twice as much as we speak.
A championship game was lost because of listening failure. With the team leading by one with the ball and thirty seconds left, the coach instructed the team to move the ball and expect to get fouled. A player took a contested shot with twelve seconds to go. The shot was blocked and the opposition scored in the final seconds.
Listening is only one part of focus. Another important part of focus is "readback." One of eight messages is miscommunicated without readback. That can lead to egregious mistakes, especially in aviation and medicine.
Leadership has to work together. In some cultures, subordinates are reluctant to offend their superior. The aviation industry pushed back on that after a major crash where cockpit recordings showed junior officers didn't correct the pilot. In basketball, an assistant coach is often charged with keeping the head coach aware of issues like foul trouble.
Eye contact goes hand in glove with listening. Poor eye contact shows distraction and is off-putting. You decrease your chance of getting into the action if you're not engaged with the coaching. The leader loses confidence in your ability to exercise "commander's intent."
Ultimately, actions define us. Investigative journalist Bob Woodward had a sign with the letters FAA on it. FOCUS, ACT AGGRESSIVELY. Get the facts. Get the story. Reveal what others seek to hide or obscure. Aggressive listening is the precursor to action. The inability to give and take direction leads to inaction and failure. And we don't coach failure.
Summary:
- "People don't quit jobs. They quit people." - Michael Cottrell
- "Listen aggressively."
- Give your full, undivided attention.
- Two ears and one mouth means listen twice as much as you speak.
- Give and get "readback" for accurate communication.
- Listening gives us a chance for nuanced response.
- Amplify your listening with eye contact.
- FAA. Focus. Act aggressively.
- The inability to give and take direction leads to failure.
- Battles and championships are lost because of poor listening.