The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - Listening

We continue our learning and growing with the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. This book carries the subtitle: "Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow".

Everything rises and falls on leadership. And leadership truly develops from the inside out. If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the leader you want to be on the outside. People will want to follow you.

Quality #11 - Listening: to connect with their hearts, use your ears.

“The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people." - Woodrow Wilson, American President

Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. That's the Law of Connection. But before a leader can touch a person's heart, he has to know what's in it. He learns by listening.

As you think about how to spend your listening time, keep in mind that you have two purposes for listening: to connect with people and to learn. For that reason, you should keep your ear open to these people:

1. Your Followers.
   1. Good leaders, the kind that people want to follow, do more than conduct business when they interact with followers. They take the time to get a feel for who each one is as a person.
2. Your Customers.
   1. A Cherokee saying states. "Listen to the whispers and you won't have to hear the screams."
   2. Microsoft CEO Bill Gates said, "Unhappy customers are always a concern. They're also your greatest opportunity."
   3. Good leaders always make it a priority to keep in contact with the people they're serving.
3. Your Competitors.
   1. Larry King says, "I remind myself every morning: nothing I say this day with teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening."
   2. As a leader, you don't want to base your actions on what the other guy is doing, but you should still listen and learn what you can to improve yourself.
4. Your Mentors.
   1. No leader is so advanced or experienced that he can afford to be without a mentor. Do more than just grab onto facts. Start listening not only for words, but also for feelings, meanings, and undercurrents.

“A good leader encourages followers to tell him what he needs to know, not what he wants to hear." - John C. Maxwell

Bringing it home:

1. Change Your Schedule.
   1. Do you spend time listening to your followers, customers, competitors, and mentors?
2. Meet People on Their Turf
   1. The next time you meet with an employee or a customer, discipline yourself to ask four or five questions about him as a person.
   2. Get to know who he is, and see common ground to build your connection with him.
3. Listen Between the Lines.
1. Don't ignore the emotional content.
2. Sometimes you can learn more about what's really going on by reading between the lines.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc