If you’re anything like us, you know how easy this is to read…and how hard it is to do.
Great leaders know this is important. We agree with it in theory. But, when we get to the end of the day, how well do we put it into practice?

The leaders we work with are not poor leaders—or at least they don’t want to be. They are leaders who genuinely desire to lead well and foster a great culture. But they have rarely been given the tools to do so.

A reminder like this (literally on their fridge) can be motivational, as they prepare for their day and commit to being the best leader they can be.

And yet, when they arrive home and see the note again, most realize that their best intentions were thwarted by the busyness of the day and the many attention-grabbing matters they faced. Amid all the distraction and ambition, they realize they did more talking than listening. And they recognize that they were quicker to take the role of teacher than the position of student.

… so they resolve to do better tomorrow.

No matter how inspirational a note like this can be, it’s not particularly useful without a strategy to back it up. Real listening doesn’t (usually) happen by accident. Growth is almost always the direct result of intentional, disciplined, engagement.

What does that look like? It can appear in many ways, depending on the setting.

Maybe it’s a weekly meeting in which the leader only listens.

Maybe it’s a quarterly one-on-one that elevates the thoughts of the staff over the opinions of the leader.

Maybe it’s a simple question posed whenever there’s a challenge, “How would you recommend we handle this?”

Different leaders in different settings should use different tactics. What’s the same is a disciplined strategy that provides actual results.

#mondayinspiration #listening #leaderslisten #leadership101 #leadershipskills #servantmindedleadership

About SML

SML Consultive got its start when the founder, Jon Antonucci recognized a problem in almost every organization: Front-line leaders were failing terribly, and their teams were miserable!

Jon decided to leverage his 20+ years of leadership experience to solve this problem and empower leaders that leave a positive legacy and change the world!

Providing dynamic and engaging leadership tools for leaders who actively work with staff, SML empowers effective engagement with internal clients, fostering a culture of collaboration and impact that facilitates increased employee retention and customer satisfaction.

Real-world solutions are customized to meet the unique needs of the individuals and organizations served, ensuring dynamic impact and the opportunity for leaders to leave a legacy that changes the world—starting with the team and organization they are serving.

Looking for a great leadership development solution for either yourself or the leaders of your organization? Visit www.ServantMindedLeadership.com for more information on how we serve the forgotten leaders and empower them to change the world!

The above content is provided as a free resource from SML Consultive, the global leader in front-line leadership development. For more free Leadership resources:

 – Join the Servant-Minded Leadership Group on LinkedIn

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