How can active listening help your company?

When we talk about a good leader, the tendency is to think of someone who, among other things, communicates very well. However, what is the secret to such good communication? Have you ever thought that perhaps the best way to express yourself is to stay silent when needed? But not only staying silent, of course: the key lies in listening. This is how good leaders are formed, by listening actively. Only then will we know what to say (or what not to), how, and when. For this reason, today we would like to talk about one of the techniques most used in those business environments where leaders value respect for their colleagues and their clients: active listening.

But what is active listening, really? It is a form of human communication focused on empathy with the interlocutor. It is not just about “staying silent and listening” (although it is that, too), but moreover, it requires great effort, working our cognitive and empathic abilities. Although it may seem an easy task, knowing how to listen is very important for communication. In fact, too often, instead of listening, we pay more attention to what we are thinking and what we want to say. This is a very human error and is, therefore, very common.

With active listening, we are not just paying attention to what the other person tells us; this would be passive listening. When we actively listen to someone, we are also interested in what our interlocutor expresses indirectly. That is, their feelings, ideas, or thoughts. This is why empathy is so important: it’s our ability to put ourselves in the other person's shoes. Not surprisingly, this is a technique that is widely used in institutional conflict resolution.

In addition to empathy, active listening also works on acceptance, feedback, or emotional validation; a process of learning, understanding, and expression to accept the other person's emotional experience. In other words, we listen without judging or ignoring the feelings of the other person, whether it be a colleague, a client, or a subordinate.

Once we have listened, we will know what our associates expect from us. We will know how to create the right work environment for staff to feel comfortable and want to follow the leader's example.

At CEDEC, we practice transversal active listening. That is, within and between all our departments, with our clients, and with our providers. For us, this is the key to guarantee quality professional (and human!) relationships.

Fernando Rey — Senior Manager, Business Outreach Division (Spain)