The Art of Active Listening – A Game Changer for Leaders

Hey fellow leaders! Communication breakdowns and struggling to build trust within our teams, or finding it difficult to effectively manage stakeholders is a common challenge we are all facing in this fast moving world with both “online interactions and distractions” at it’s peak, especially post covid.

The solution might be closer than you think.

In a world filled with noise and distractions, the art of truly hearing and understanding others is often overlooked. However, those leaders who embrace active-listening unlock a wealth of benefits that can propel their teams and organizations to new heights.

As a leadership coach, “I’ve witnessed time and again how trust can make or break a team’s productivity and effectiveness. And you know what? The inability to listen actively is often at the heart of this trust issue.”

Listening attentively or actively is effective when it becomes a “habit” (not a one off gesture) ..then it has a 360 degree impact on our success and our life.

In this blog, we’re diving deep into:

1. What is active listening & what comes in our way to patiently listen with complete presence
2. The practical application of active listening with a real-life example of a leader
3. How to inculcate this powerful habit

The Power of Active Listening:

Active listening is not merely about hearing words; it’s about immersing yourself in the speaker’s world, with curiosity. It is a gift of our presence we offer to others, a silent embrace that says – your words and feelings matter.

It involves being fully present, not just with your ears, but with your mind, heart, and undivided attention.

But let’s be honest, the demands of leadership can be overwhelming at times. Tight deadlines, challenging stakeholders, and the constant pressure to deliver results can make it tempting to prioritise “talking” and “controlling the discussion” over listening.

However, it’s precisely in those moments of intense pressure that active listening becomes a game-changer.

So, how can you become an active listener?

Start by setting aside distractions and giving your full attention to the speaker. Maintain eye contact, nod along to show engagement, and provide thoughtful feedback that demonstrates your understanding.

Empathy and curiosity should guide your interactions, allowing you to ask probing questions and delve deeper into the speaker’s perspective.

Remember, active listening is a skill, a habit that can be cultivated and refined over time. It requires practice, patience, and a genuine desire to connect with “yourself first” before you can authentically connect with others.

So, let’s dive in and explore how our “mind” influences our ability to actively listen.

The Subconscious Mind’s Influence:

1. Preconceived Assumptions:

Our subconscious loves to jump to conclusions based on past experiences, beliefs or limited information. But hey, leaders, it’s time to challenge those assumptions! Let’s recognize that we might not have the full picture and consciously engage in the conversation without premature judgments.

2. Internal Dialogue and Self-Focus:

Ah, the internal chatter that distracts us from fully comprehending and empathizing with the speaker. We’ve all been there, lost in our own thoughts, formulating responses instead of actively listening. But fret not! We can shift our focus outward, quiet the noise, and truly be present in the moment.

3. Emotional Triggers:

Our own emotions & feelings that we are not in touch with, play quite a big role in our subconscious mind. They can trigger biases, defensiveness, and even the need to control the narrative. So it’s important to set aside sometime to delve into what’s going on in our minds.

We have the power to manage those emotional triggers. Cultivating self-awareness allows us to let go of our past subconscious biases, stay open, curious, and non-judgmental during conversations.

Before I delve into some strategies to overcome subconscious distractions, let’s look at how a leader transformed his effectiveness and relationship with his stakeholders by learning to listen better.

Real Life Leadership Case Study

Let me share an inspiring personal executive coaching experience that beautifully illustrates the transformative power of letting go and active listening.

During a coaching assignment, I had the privilege of working with a senior leader who struggled with an issue that many of us can relate to: “defensiveness” and “cutting-off people”.

Whenever challenged in public i.e. team meetings, his immediate response was something like, “I am the boss here,” shutting down his team’s valuable contributions. It became clear that this defensive attitude hindered collaboration and stifled innovation within his team.

As we delved deeper into his experiences and mindset, a remarkable realization emerged. It turned out that his defensiveness stemmed from childhood experiences of financial hardship. Growing up, he constantly felt inferior and fought to prove himself in a competitive world. This unconscious sense of inferiority or low self-worth due to childhood events had subconsciously seeped into his leadership style, causing him to build walls and resist inputs from his subordinates and colleagues.

What he didn’t realise was that he was making some assumptions because of his past experiences, such as:

People who take final decisions are highly regarded
I assume that if I am not highly regarded I will be a failure

Together, we embarked on a journey of self-reflection and introspection. The leader bravely acknowledged the need for change, consciously let go of the trigger to always wanting to be in control and recognized that listening without preconceived notions played a pivotal role in fostering a culture of trust and growth.

By unravelling the subconscious barriers that held him back, he began to let go of his old approach.

By letting go of his defensiveness, he created an environment where team members felt empowered, heard, and respected.

The impact of this transformation was truly remarkable.

As the leader opened himself up to his subconscious distractions and assumptions and focussed on active listening, he started focussing on the subject or the purpose of the meeting rather than taking things personally.

His team blossomed, ideas flowed freely, creativity soared, trust deepened and innovation became the norm.

Not only did the leader experience a profound shift in his leadership effectiveness, but the team also achieved remarkable results.

So you see how just focussing on 1 simple growth area such as active-listening can completely transform not just leader’s effectiveness but also enhance entire team’s success, passion, ownership and happiness at work.

Strategies to Overcome Subconscious Barriers:

Now that we understand these sneaky barriers, it’s time to equip ourselves with strategies to overcome them. These are not just strategies to be looked at but practised regularly, every single day. Here’s our action plan:

Active listening is not just another leadership buzzword—it’s a skill that has the power to truly transform our interactions. However, it requires “conscious effort” to overcome the subconscious barriers that hinder effective listening.

By acknowledging and addressing these barriers, we can create an environment where open communication flourishes, trust deepens, collaboration thrives and most importantly you create “success that is joyful “and not just a mundane ‘pat on the back’.

So, dear leaders, let’s embrace the art of active listening and recognize the immense potential for transformation that lies within each of us.

This can be further enhanced through Leadership Coaching and team building programs, which provide valuable guidance and tools to develop our Stakeholder Management skills.

Together, let’s embark on this journey of active listening, fostering meaningful connections, and achieving extraordinary results.

Ashwni Sharma

MD & Founder – A Brighter Life | Global Executive Coach | Psychometric Assessment Professional | Master NLP Practitioner | Inner Transformation Specialist | Self Mastery Coach

Ashwni, the Founder and MD of A Brighter Life, is dedicated to empowering leaders to enhance their effectiveness, mindfulness, and influence for joyful success. With over 27+ years of corporate experience, driven by his passion for personal transformation, Ashwni left a successful career spanning four major companies across the UK, USA, and India. Working with CXOs, Board Members, and Top Leaders globally, he combines business management skills with life transformation expertise to enable practical and applicable conversations and actions. He holds international certifications as an Executive Coach and has mastered modalities such as NLP and Hypnotherapy. Ashwni’s passion lies in fostering self-leadership as the foundation for leadership development.

Connect with Ashwni Sharma