The Power of Active Listening: Building Trust Within Your Team
As a team coach, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of active listening on teams. It's not just about hearing words; it's about truly understanding and connecting with others.
Why Active Listening Matters
Active listening supports psychological safety as it creates a safe space for team members to express their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. When team members feel heard and understood, they are more likely to take risks, share innovative solutions, and collaborate effectively. Team leaders, at all levels within the organization, need to encourage open dialogue by modelling active listening behaviours.
By actively listening, team members gain insight into each other's perspectives, thereby an empathic dynamic within the team which leads to effective teamwork. Through empathy, team members learn to appreciate diverse viewpoints, which leads to better decision-making and problem-solving. From this perspective, empathy is not just a soft skill—it's provides the team with strategic advantage.
We need to actively listen so that we may understand otherwise, miscommunication can derail even the most well-intentioned teams. Active listening minimizes misunderstandings by ensuring that everyone is on the same page. It is also important to keep in mind that it's not about being right but about understanding each other.
Amy Gallo, in her article “What is Active Listening” published in the Harvard Business Review draws on Abrahams and Groysberg who describe active listening as having three aspects: cognitive, emotional, and behavioural which they define as:
● Cognitive: Paying attention to all the information, both explicit and implicit, that you are receiving from the other person, comprehending, and integrating that information.
● Emotional: Staying calm and compassionate during the conversation, including managing any emotional reactions (annoyance, boredom) you might experience.
● Behavioural: Conveying interest and comprehension verbally and nonverbally.
Mastering active listening is an on-going effort, and, with deliberate practice goes hand-in-hand with increasing one’s emotional intelligence. Gallo goes on to draw on Minehart et al’s work in the health care field where they identified four distinct listening styles:
● A task-oriented listener is focused on efficiency and shapes a conversation around the transfer of important information.
● A relational listener seeks to build connection and understand and respond to the emotions underlying a message.
● An analytical listener aims to analyse a problem from a neutral starting point.
● A critical listener typically judges both the content of the conversation and the speaker themselves.
This categorization appears to have quite a close correlation to the interpersonal styles described by the DiSC personal assessment whose primary personality profiles are:
● D (Dominance): Individuals with D personalities tend to be confident and prioritize bottom-line results.
● i (Influence): People with i personalities are more open, emphasizing relationships and influencing others.
● S (Steadiness): Those with S personalities are dependable, valuing cooperation and sincerity.
● C (Conscientiousness): C personalities emphasize quality, accuracy, expertise, and competency.
These different styles lead to different ways to communicate. In my experience, it is crucial at the start of a team coaching intervention, for all team members to increase their self-awareness about their preferred ways of interacting and communication styles and those of their colleagues as inevitably you can get friction when different styles clash. Greater mutual awareness brings greater understanding and makes it easier for active listening to occur.
We mentioned that active listening is a skill and like all skills improves through deliberate practice, i.e. reflecting on your actions in a structure way to evaluate them and find ways of improving.
In this regards, here are some best practices for active listening:
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When engaging in conversations, put away distractions. Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and focus on the speaker. Show that you value their words by maintaining eye contact and nodding. Your presence communicates respect and attentiveness.
Reflective listening involves paraphrasing what the speaker said. For example:
● "It sounds like you're concerned about the upcoming project deadline."
● "You mentioned feeling overwhelmed. Can you elaborate on that?"
Open-ended questions encourage deeper discussions. Instead of asking, "Did you finish the report?" try:
● "What challenges did you encounter while working on the report?"
● "How can I support you in meeting the deadline?"
It is important that one adopts a non-judgmental approach. Avoid interrupting or immediately offering solutions. Let team members express themselves fully. Judgment-free conversations build trust and encourage vulnerability.
Acknowledge emotions without dismissing them. For instance:
● "I can see why you'd feel frustrated."
● "It's natural to feel anxious during transitions."
Curiosity fuels active listening. Approach conversations with a genuine desire to learn. Explore different viewpoints, even if they challenge your assumptions. Curious teams thrive on continuous learning and growth.
After listening, provide feedback. Summarize what you heard and ask if you understood correctly. This ensures clarity and prevents misinterpretations.
Trust-Building Through Active Listening
Building trust through active listening is a crucial aspect of effective teamwork. Here are some practical steps to foster trust within your team:
Active listening transcends mere checkboxes on a teamwork list—it’s the heartbeat of collaboration. As a team coach, champion this skill, and witness trust flourish. Remember, it’s not just about hearing words; it’s about genuinely connecting with the hearts and minds of your team members.