Active Listening and Empathy in Leadership Communication

Are you a business leader in search of ways to improve company culture and team dynamics?

If so, then keep reading!

This interview features Dr. William Ramey , who will be discussing the importance of active listening and empathy in leadership communication. We’ll explore how leaders can cultivate these skills to create an open and supportive environment, enhance understanding, and build stronger relationships with team members.

I connected with Dr. Will shortly after hearing his keynote presentation at the Young Professionals Conference 2023, hosted by the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce . Dr. Will’s presentation captivated the attention of the attendees, so much so, that members of my team were still talking about his message days later!

Before we begin, get to know Dr. Will more with this brief bio:

Will Ramey is a combat veteran with 20 years of leadership experience across a variety of industries. He specializes in leadership behavior and team dynamics research and owns his own leadership and team development training company. Will also shares his insights on leadership as a blogger at onthestacks.com

Check out his website at: empowerthepack.com?

***

How would you define active listening in the context of leadership communication? Why is it crucial for leaders to develop this skill?

In the context of leadership communication active listening is the space you create to invite others into the conversation. It’s important for leaders to understand that the position they hold influences, consciously or unconsciously, how people communicate with them. Active listening gives the leader the opportunity to create a psychologically safe space where voices are heard and acknowledged. Active listening as a leader can help you overcome your own cognitive biases to make more informed decisions, verify understanding of the intent of your message, and create clarity and cohesion within your team.?

Can you share examples of how active listening has positively influenced leadership communication and strengthened relationships within teams or organizations?

I’ve been in conversations with other leaders and team members where communication has gone awry. Either the group has latched on to a common piece of information and is running with it or the group is stuck on something and talking past each other. Oftentimes with leaders, we get caught up with wanting to show our competence and knowledge so much, that we don’t step back and actively listen. I’ve had the opportunity to be wrong and I love it. It means I’m learning. I’ve led teams in high-pressure situations. Actively listening to what is being said, and what is NOT being said has made the difference in decisions I’ve had to make. When I was in the Army, I’ve had to make split-second decisions that could have resulted in the loss of life. Listening to tone, reading body language, creating space for pause and responding with clarifying questions allowed my team to be successful on the battlefield.?

What are some common barriers to active listening that leaders often face, and how can they overcome these barriers to become more effective listeners?

One of the biggest barriers I’ve experienced and observed is allowing your desire to show your own knowledge to get in the way. Leaders, especially those new to leadership want to prove themselves. What happens in these situations, leaders are first to speak, feel like they have to get the last word, they add on without adding value. This shuts down conversations quickly. To overcome this, leaders need to gain a level of self-assuredness that allows them to be open to not knowing everything and shifts them to a facilitator of a conversation vs the direction giver.?

The second barrier I see is presence vs being present. Leaders are inundated with tasks and time is not on your side. However, when engaging with a member of your team or a peer, it’s imperative that you eliminate distractions. Get out from behind the desk, turn the phone off, and give your full undivided attention to the person you’re speaking with. You are not great at multi-tasking, trust me. Giving your full attention to your team member shows them the respect they deserve and allows them to feel comfortable in conversation. It also allows you to pick up on cues and ask clarifying questions vs moving through the conversation swiftly to get onto your next task. Be present in the conversation instead of merely offering your presence.??

Empathy is an essential aspect of effective leadership communication. How can leaders cultivate empathy, and why is it important for building strong relationships with team members?

So often leaders get caught up in the “doing” of work. Logistics, resourcing, timeline, etc. Empathy is being able to understand and sense other people’s emotions. Cultivating empathy begins with emotional intelligence. As a leader, it’s important to increase your self-awareness of your emotions and your responses. It is even more important to increase the ability to be other-aware regarding emotional intelligence. To do this, leaders must also be in tune with the “being” of work. What do daunting tasks at work feel like for my team member? What is going on outside of work that could be impacting them? When communicating with your team while practicing empathy, ask questions that have the word “feel” in them. Instead of asking, “What does getting this task done look like?” try asking “What does getting this task done feel like to you?” When you shift your language to be more precise and ask questions that bring up emotions, you enter into a different realm of conversation. This gives you more insight as a leader and allows you more opportunity to practice empathy. Communicating in this depth will develop stronger connections. It shows that you truly put people first.?

Can you share some practical strategies or techniques leaders can use to demonstrate empathy in their communication with team members?

The physical space should be appropriately matched for the type of conversation. Depending on the nature of the conversation, take it “offstage.”?

Give space in the conversation. The pauses when talking are necessary to allow the emotions to surface.??

Take time to recognize the sharing of emotions and situations (negative or positive) when speaking with people. The direct intentional acknowledgement shows that you’re listening.??

Be cautious of comparison or sharing “your story.” The situation is not about you and may be perceived as a competition. If you truly believe sharing your story is helpful in the moment, ask permission to share.?

How does active listening contribute to fostering an open and supportive environment within a team or organization? Can you provide some examples of how leaders can encourage active listening among team members?

Active listening contributes to the concept of psychological safety. When team members feel heard and understood they will use their voice more. When a leader is able to shape the environment by controlling their body language, closing the feedback loop, and encouraging deeper levels of discussion by giving space, team members will feel more comfortable taking risks, being creative, and supporting one another.?

Ways to encourage active listening amongst team members:

• Give everyone the opportunity to speak and be heard. This routine gives everyone the opportunity. Then thank the person for speaking up when they contribute.?
• Ask others what they heard someone else say and what it means to them. This increases perspectives and shows the understanding of intent.?
• Observe when someone is not engaging and find a way to bring them into the conversation.?
• Institute positive practices around interruptions, building off others’ input, and distractions during team engagements.

In what ways can leaders leverage active listening and empathy to address conflicts or challenging situations within their teams? Can you share any personal experiences or success stories?

When entering into a performance or behavioral feedback conversation it’s important to gain context from your team members. Start by asking them to help you understand the situation and their perspective before you share yours.?When you do give feedback you can leverage empathy and engage in active listening by using the SBI method. Share the Situation you observed. Identify the specific Behavior you witnessed. Clarify the Impact the behavior has on you or your team. Frame it in terms of both the doing and being of work. I’ve had to enter into difficult emotionally charged conversations with peers and subordinates. Seeking to understand and having the SBI framework handy has typically led me to successful outcomes. I can show empathy but stay on target with the intent of the conversation. I can listen and gain understanding and be flexible about what needs to occur when dealing with conflict. The ability to engage in active listening has allowed me to go into conversations and learn something new, shift my perspective, and still navigate conflict to a successful solution.

What role does self-awareness play in active listening and empathetic leadership communication? How can leaders develop self-awareness to enhance their communication skills?

Self-awareness is one-half of emotional intelligence. Research has shown that emotional intelligence has positive correlations with proactive coping, empowering leadership behaviors, growth mindset, etc. When you can identify, acknowledge, and manage your own emotions as a leader, you can gain proficiency in listening to your team and showing empathy. This comes out during formal, informal, verbal and non-verbal communication with your team. Get a close trusted friend and have them give you candid feedback. How did you enter into a conversation? Did you posture your body language? Were you allowing others to speak and consuming what they had to say or just waiting to respond? Having an accountability partner is like holding up a mirror to you when communicating. Also, taking time to practice mindfulness. How does your communication feel in the moment? Practicing mindfulness can also raise your self-awareness.?

Are there any specific challenges or considerations leaders should keep in mind when practicing active listening and empathy in virtual or remote work environments? How can they adapt their communication approaches accordingly?

When in person or on camera, you are more aware of movement, inflection of voice, etc. There are so many more ways to communicate that your team can pick up on and that you can pick up on. When cameras are off or you’re asynchronously communicating via email, text, or Slack, self-awareness, active listening, and empathy are much more difficult. Match the communication technique to the proper medium as a leader. It may be easier to send an email out, but remember, you don’t know the state of mind the receiver is in when they read it. Think about how you are reading this right now. Are you punctuating the same words that I am as I am writing? Maybe, but probably not.

Adapt your approach to match the situation and don’t overuse one method. Quick calls to check in can be more telling than an email chain. On the other hand, hours-long meetings with video on can be draining. Find your balance for the task and purpose. Practice the pauses, even when you can’t see the other person. Ask clarifying questions and continue to encourage input from your team.

What are some potential outcomes or benefits that leaders can expect to see when they prioritize active listening and empathy in their communication practices?

Deeper dive into conversations through active listening and empathy give you more robust information to make more informed decisions. Engaging in active listening can also allow you to empower your team. Building up your team by creating an environment where their voices are expected to be heard and valued, increases self-confidence, cohesion, and commitment. This can lead to a feeling of empowerment. Research has shown that empowered teams have higher levels of job satisfaction and performance. Leadership is about people. You get the productivity results you want, when you put people first. By enhancing your listening skills, practicing empathy, and putting these factors together into how you communicate and make decisions will accelerate your growth and impact as a leader.

***

Thank you Dr. Will for taking the time to speak with me about active listening and empathy in leadership communication. It was a truly eye-opening and insightful interview and I look forward to continuing the discussion at an upcoming networking event.

Follow Dr. William Ramey and get more from him at empowerthepack.com?

Subscribe to my newsletter 10-Minute Mentor with Rich Perry and get more from me!