Listening is one of the most important competencies a leader can use. Leaders who listen well, lead well. But sometimes even good leaders slip into bad listening habits. As you read these bad listening habits below, mentally check which one(s) you most easily slip into.
Author Lisa J. Downs, a listening expert and former president of the American Society for Training and Development believes this list captures our worst listening habits.
- Daydreaming: thinking about unrelated topics when someone else is speaking.
- Debating: carrying on an inner argument about what is being said.
- Judging: letting negative views influence us.
- Problem solving: yearning to give unasked for advice.
- Pseudo-listening: pretending to be a good listener.
- Rehearsing: planning what you want to say next.
- Stage hogging: redirecting the conversation to suit your own goals.
- Ambushing: gathering information to use against the other person.
- Selective listening: only responding to the parts of the conversation that interest us.
- Defensive listening: taking everything personally.
- Avoidant listening: blocking out what you don’t want to hear
How many of these bad listening habits have you inadvertently slipped into?
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