Leading Well in the Communications Industry
- BUPRSSA
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
By: Grace Maloney
Strong leadership begins with strong listening. According to the Center for Creative Leadership, active listening is more than hearing words; it’s recognizing emotion, intention, and meaning. When leaders truly listen, they build trust, strengthen relationships, and create space for better ideas to emerge. Active listening involves paying attention to the content, tone, and body language of the speaker — all powerful ways to build trust. The communicators who succeed in this industry can tell stories and understand their co-workers’ stories through active listening.
Techniques to Enhance Your Active Listening Skills:
Pay attention
One aspect of active listening is to set a comfortable tone that gives the speaker an opportunity to think and talk. It’s important to remain focused on the moment, make eye contact, and operate from a place of respect.
Withhold judgment
Keep an open mind when practicing active listening. Many good listeners harbor strong views, but they always suspend judgment, criticisms, and interruptions.
Reflect and validate the speaker
To ensure you and the speaker are on the same page, mirror their emotions and paraphrase their key points. For example, the Center for Creative Leadership suggests this approach: “The speaker might tell you, ‘Emma is so loyal and supportive of her people — they’d walk through fire for her. But no matter how much I push, her team keeps missing deadlines.’ To paraphrase, you could say, ‘So Emma’s people skills are great, but accountability is a problem.’”
Clarify
It’s crucial that the leader understands any points or concerns the speaker is trying to express. When engaging in active listening, the emphasis is on asking rather than telling. It assumes the other person has valuable input and maintains a spirit of collaboration. Clarity in communication is key, especially when working on a team with a shared goal.
Summarize
Restating key themes helps solidify your grasp of the other person’s point of view. Briefly summarize what you’ve understood, and ask the other person to do the same.
Share
Make understanding the other person your priority. Active listening is first about understanding the other person, then about being understood as the listener. This is important because people are more receptive to new ideas and suggestions when they feel understood.
Source: