Listen for Longer

We all know how to listen, right?

Well… what I encounter frequently in my coaching and teaching activity is that as leaders, we’re all to eager to stop listening as soon as possible so that we can jump in with our own wisdom and advice.

Don’t get me wrong - there is certainly a time and a place for advice, which can be hugely valuable

And… there are many situations where other approaches might work better. This was a big learning for me as I switched from consulting (advice-based) to coaching (a reflective discipline)!

A good place to start is to listen for longer. Attentive, active, curious listening. This often proves unexpectedly powerful and is sometimes all that is needed.

This eye-opening video from Michael Bungay Stanier describes how counter-productive it can be if we let our “advice monster” run amok, and has some practical tips to help us tame this monster in order to stay listening for longer.

I’d encourage you to give it a try - the results ore often surprising!