A Great Man Died This Week

A rocket scientist named Allan McDonald died this past week. The name likely doesn’t ring a bell but in a few moments it will. Just this week, I was having a conversation with a client who leads development for a major global insurance company. We were discussing one of the most important traits of an effective leader, one of the keys to almost all good relationships, one of the most critical skills required to think strategically about the future and a skill that can help avoid disasters. It also happens to be the #1 skill that CEOs said they were looking for in someone they would promote to the C Suite (though many CEOs need to work on it themselves.) Any guess?

The great Jewish author and actor Fran Liebowitz once said: “There are really only two forms of communication: talking and waiting.” That’s right, that secret skill is the Art of Listening. How many meetings have you been in where almost no one responds to the last comment made except to say “but….” Meaning - I really wasn’t listening, just waiting for my turn. How many times have you seen someone bring up a good idea, but when someone else (or we) respond, we have made up our mind before even hearing it out fully? How many times has your partner said you aren’t listening and then you parrot back the exact words only to realize you weren’t?...BUSTED!

Alan McDonald, the rocket scientist who died at 83 last week was on the receiving end of someone’s inability to listen. He was an engineer at NASA who desperately tried to stop the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger that blew up on a chilly Florida morning. I remember it happened during a class I taught at Kent State University and we all watched it over and over in disbelief. Apparently, he was haunted for years that he hadn’t been able to convince the powers that be. Boeing is probably wishing they had listened more about right now.

Now listening as a leadership skill has always been important but now it’s CRITICAL and here’s why. Today we are faced with unparalleled change that requires complex thinking. That means we need a diversity of people and viewpoints to find the optimal solutions. But to do that, we must cultivate the capacity to LISTEN deeply. Most of us have hardly had a day of training in it!

I’m currently leading an NGO in the United States to explore their strategic niche going forward. The organization has been very siloed with many people not even knowing what other parts of the organization are doing. The most rewarding thing for me is that from the beginning we emphasized the importance of listening and being curious. The strategy going forward is a complex one and this willingness to listen rather than just waiting has made all the difference.

So next time you catch yourself waiting, lean in and listen. Next time someone brings up an idea, make sure you build on it rather than just moving on. When someone you care about, whether a team member or a family member, is talking to you - give them your undivided attention. And if someone says something may blow up, or the quality isn’t what it should be, listen even more! You just might make better decisions, have better relationships, and have a bigger impact.

Dr. John Izzo has spoken to over one million people, advised over 500 companies, authored nine best-selling books, and helped some of the world's most admired companies. He has been a pioneer in creating successful businesses and emerging work trends for over twenty-five years.