Every day, we experience different ways of how life sounds like. Be it in the form of our alarm clocks waking us up or a friend complaining about his/her work, we are indulged into these sounds no matter how much we would want to shut it off.
Our ears are always welcoming every input our surroundings give. We hear them. But did we ever listen?
For some, listening is a skill they’ve mastered. They might or might not come off as a good conversationalist but they know how to maneuver the conversation because they’re aware of its underlying meaning.
While for others, well, you can say you are being heard at least. But are you being listened to?
They say that if you want the world to listen to you, you must be a listener of the world first. Unsurprisingly, in this day and age, listening is what every aspect of human life tends to overlook.
We are so enticed of what we can offer to the table and ignore the things we can get from the gathering. We are so busy trying to justify our point that we forget empathizing with what the other party has to say. We are quick to reply to conversations without fully understanding the message we received.
We have become a world of constant hearing but not of deliberate listening.
If we really want to succeed in whatever endeavor we are taking, we need to bear in mind that we do not know everything yet. Therefore, we listen. In the corporate world, for a company to gain improvement over the course of its operation, the art of listening must be cultivated. A successful communication equates to a successful company.
Read on as we guide you on how the art of listening helps in improving the culture of a company.
It cultivates respect. Listening is not just an act of being present in the moment. It is also a sign of courtesy. It shows that the sentiments of every individual within the company matters. When a company promotes active listening, respect fosters.
It establishes a healthy employee-employee bond. When workmates listen to each other, it generates a special bond between people who go through the same struggle in work. They have a common ground to begin with and that contributes to a healthy working relationship. No one wants to go to work with workmates talking about you behind your back, right?
It is a way to develop an ethical employer-employee relationship. While it is important to uphold healthy boundaries between the leader and the workforce, it is also beneficial for the company to consider the sentiments of its employees and meet halfway with the reservations of the employer. Listening to both parties means considering the bigger picture. With this, a mindful operation of the company.
It provides a venue for clients and the company to connect. Listening does not just stay within the premise of the company. It also radiates towards its target market. In communicating with the clients, the company would get insights on how to further improve its operation. In return, clients would feel appreciated and considered. It’s a win-win situation.
It motivates the working force. Listening means engaging. When the workforce feel involved in the company, they also sense accountability and mindfulness. These lead to them being motivated to always strive for competence. When the workforce is motivated, the company blooms.
It encourages empathy. The ability to understand the situation despite the difference between experiences of every individual is a must for a company to excel. Just by listening, empathy grows. When you fully understand the inner workings of every workforce, the decisions of the company will be for the greater good of every single piece of the puzzle.
It engages critical thinking. It is not a secret that in every company, problems can arise one way or another. In these problems, two heads are better than one. Critical thinking sharpens when it is introduced to newer possibilities. In listening, more ideas will be discussed, which leads to more ways of solving the problem.
The art of listening improves company culture and heightens your way of living. In a mundane set-up, hearing is a sense of privilege. But for someone to actually listen in this world’s callings, it takes a greater act of presence and awareness.
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