Attention is an asset: the conscious advantage of listening
In my opinion, deep, demonstrated listening is one of the most valuable skills in any workplace, yet it is also one of the most undervalued and underused.
Listening skills suffer in any interaction when people focus their attention on what they are going to say next, how they will persuade others, or how they can solve a problem.
How often do we give our full, undivided attention to truly hearing what another person is trying to communicate?
Conscious leadership requires active listening at a deep level. This means fully engaging with another person’s words, the emotions behind them, and their underlying intentions. Leaders can do this by staying present and focused on the conversation.
What poor listening looks like
I’m sure we can all relate to being in conversations when we know for a fact the other person isn’t really listening. It’s a very common experience. If we’re honest with ourselves, we are often guilty of it ourselves (I know I can be!).
Poor listening might look like:
Pretending to listen while you are actually considering your response or you’re simply waiting for your turn to speak.
Being distracted or falling into the myth of multitasking during the conversation. Phones are usually the main source of distraction, whether that’s checking notifications, checking emails, or replying to a message.
Being unaware of the other person’s state. You might hear their words, but be unaware of the emotions they might be feeling, or the intentions behind what they are saying.
The real cost of not listening
There are significant negative effects when people don’t listen. It’s a big missed opportunity to build trust, connection and engagement with other people, and might even damage relationships and your personal brand. People quickly feel ignored, dismissed, and disrespected when they know the other person is not listening.
From a practical point of view, a lack of listening increases errors, as instructions are missed or misunderstood. It also leads to more conflict, frustration, and simple misunderstandings that could have been easily avoided. Essentially, a lack of listening can create friction and inefficiency in every interaction.
What conscious listening involves
The good news is that active and demonstrated listening is a skill you can develop. It’s really not complicated, but it does require intention, attention and practise.
The aim in improving your listening is to move closer to these behaviours on a consistent basis:
Give the speaker your full and undivided attention. This means putting away distractions (yes, I absolutely include your phone, put it out of sight!), making eye contact, and being fully present in the moment.
Demonstrate you are listening with verbal and non-verbal cues. Verbal cues include simple things like nodding, while non-verbal cues can include short phrases like "I see" to show you are engaged.
Listen deeply to understand before you respond. This is vital. Your primary goal should be to fully grasp what the other person is communicating, including their words, their feelings, and their intentions. A nice way to check this is to paraphrase what you’ve heard and check your understanding of their meaning is correct.
The return on investment from listening
Why does listening matter so much?
Because the return on investment of your attention is immense.
When you listen well, people feel heard, seen, and respected. This is fundamental to building strong professional relationships.
Listening well directly increases trust, connection and engagement. When your team members and colleagues know you will truly listen to them, they’re more likely to share ideas, raise concerns, and contribute fully. This reduces misunderstandings and helps everyone work together more effectively. Furthermore, when you listen deeply, you gather better information, which leads to better thinking and better decision making. This is particularly helpful in your client interactions.
Listening is powerful. It’s a sign of respect and a core component of effective conscious leadership.
Where do you have the opportunity to demonstrate better listening? What would be the advantage of doing so?
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Dr Sarah Whyte is a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, counsellor and coach.
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Discover how the Conscious Leadership Advantage can improve your next event and assist your team to achieve sustainable success: sarah@drsarahwhyte.com
