In Part 5 of this series, I want to talk about listening effectively. Did you hear what I said or did you just hear you need to listen? Effective listening is a skill which is not passive. It takes action on your part and it isn’t something that many leaders do well. Effective listening is a key skill for servant leaders because without it you won’t be able to master several of the other key characteristics such as: understanding the values of those you serve, appreciating the perspective of others, persuading and building trust.
As with most of the servant leader characteristics, effective listening starts with yourself then moves to others. Your first step is to be engaged – to actively listen. For ways to do this see our Active Listening Tips sheet.