Listen More. Direct Less.

Listening is one of the great paradoxes of leadership. Most of us are wired for action, and listening can feel like doing nothing. As a result, it’s easy to convince ourselves that it’s more efficient to just tell people what to do. Although we may see it as being helpful, other people often experience it as micromanaging.

Is it any surprise that only 19% of employees strongly agree they trust their leadership?

In our work at Team Trek, listening sits near the top of the list of things leaders need to work on. Every person wants to be heard and understood. When that need goes unmet, people feel devalued and start to pull back. They stop stepping up and start waiting for instructions.

What makes this cycle so hard to break is that it feeds itself. The more a leader over-directs, the more the team pulls back. And the more the team pulls back, the more convinced the leader becomes that even more direction is needed.

The way out starts with the leader. Ask open-ended questions and listen to what people have to say. Listening and asking questions go together. Good questions invite people to think for themselves and take ownership. They also create the conditions for learning and growth, which is what sustains results over time.

Start with your next conversation where you would normally give direction. Ask a question instead, and notice what you learn.