How can you create a culture of openness and transparency within your team using active listening?

When trying to encourage a culture of openness and transparency, the key skill is in thinking ahead the punishment and reward responses you will employ. When teams are not punished for risks, problems, issues they bring to their manager, they're much more likely to bring them forward, and participate openly in the remediation. Active listening in this sense involves more than concentration, it also means being strategic about the benefits of open team culture. We need to ensure our reactions as leaders are congruent with our strategy, leadership style and cultural aspirations.

“Tenemos dos orejas y una boca, justamente para oír más y hablar menos”. - Zenón de Citio Al escuchar más y hablar menos, podemos obtener una comprensión más profunda de las necesidades y expectativas de nuestros interlocutores. Esto nos permite tomar decisiones más informadas y desarrollar estrategias que se alineen mejor con nuestros objetivos empresariales. Además, al fomentar un ambiente donde se valora la escucha, se promueve un entorno de respeto y colaboración. Esto puede llevar a una mayor satisfacción en el trabajo, una mejor retención del personal y, en última instancia, a un mejor rendimiento empresarial.

??We have read a lot about being an 'active listener' and its benefits. However, how can you be an good listener (referencing one of the videos from Simon Sinek) - ??Be the one who speaks last. What you need to do to speak last? ??Keep your thoughts to yourself till last. (The most difficult part) These two pointers summarize a 25 min video from Simon Sinek.

To create a culture of openness and transparency within a team,team leaders or managers should give full attention to team members when they are speaking, seeking clarity, asking open-ended questions, and providing the space for team members to express their thoughts and concerns without judgment.

Active listening is important in any communication. Some benefits are - your team members get the confidence that they can share their hurdles with you and if any gaps or mistakes have happened then they don’t hide the same - above points also helps you to resolve the hurdles and escalations if any in better way - team also gets motivated to propose their ideas if you are an active listeners - As a manager, we may have a 360 degree view however individuals in a team works on micro level. They can communicate freely on the process improvements if manager is an active listener - team also feels comfortable if they are also facing any issues on personal front and if it’s also affecting their productivity - they look at you as mentor

??Active listening makes everybody in the team feel important and heard. ??It can help in reducing major issues like increasing attrition rate in companies and enhance skill development.

??Nelson Mandela was once asked - How did you become a great leader? What did you do? ??Nelson Mandela answered that he used to visit tribal places with his father as he was a tribal chief. ??Little Nelson used to observe how his father runs the meeting with Tribal people listening to their problems. He observed two things - 1. His father kept his thoughts to himself most of the times 2. His father was the last one to speak (always) Speaking last can make everybody heard and make them feel important. ??I feel these two pointers were the roots of what made Nelson Mandela one of the great world's leader.

The key point here is not to provide the team with the ready-made solution if any, but challenge them, direct by asking questions, let them thought on their own and find the right answer. Delegate and encourage initiation and discussion. This is the best motivation that make the team full-filled and satisfied of the process. It’s not the only one I practice, but the most efficient in general.

Estive à frente de um projeto para criar uma cultura de abertura e transparência no setor de Qualidade de uma empresa de constru??o de parques eólicos, onde implementei a escuta ativa em uma equipe de engenheiros. Realizamos sess?es de feedback, incentivando a express?o livre de ideias e preocupa??es. Adotamos uma abordagem inclusiva, garantindo que todos tivessem espa?o para falar e fossem ouvidos com aten??o. Esta prática fortaleceu a confian?a e promoveu um ambiente onde a troca aberta de informa??es se tornou prática padr?o. Para medir o impacto, aplicamos pesquisas de engajamento, estabelecemos canais para feedback an?nimo e avaliamos o desempenho de projetos antes e depois da implementa??o da escuta ativa.