No One's Listening

We were thinking some more about the communication challenges that our survey respondents are asking us about. In our last blog we wrote about the need to tell the hard truth. What else do we think you need to know to really communicate well?

A phone call yesterday from one of our CEO clients sparked an idea. We had just completed a strategic planning process for an organization that he had recently acquired. One of the executives of that acquired company had said something to the CEO that he thought was important for us to hear.

He told us that the executive every year for 20 years he had participated in strategic planning, but had never been listened to. The plan was determined by two executives with only a perfunctory attempt at gaining perspectives from the rest of the executive team.

This executive told the CEO that for first time ever he really felt a part of the planning process. Because of that her felt real ownership of the plan and was excited about implementing it. But, what he said next is the most important point. Because he felt that he was truly listened to, he was much better able to listen to others instead of merely fighting for his point of view.

As questions, be open to different points of view. Do not push your point of view too hard. If you want to be listened to, start by listening to others.