The foundation for leadership is trust and the foundation for trust is good
listening. For employees, hearing is different than listening. Employees seek
responsiveness, feedback and encouragement from their leaders.
Strong leaders know that listening requires awareness of body language,
facial expressions, mood, and behavioral tendencies. Trust not only
boosts productivity, but also boosts the overall mood and tone of the
workplace. Here are some listening strategies to make you a better leader.

Care about what your employees do. Showing that you care will have
your employees achieve goals they never knew they could reach. With your
support and encouragement, they will feel valuable and want to exceed
expectations.

Be involved. Respond to their
questions. Follow-up if they need assistance. Give them a chance to
explain. Don’t just sit back and give orders. Your employees want to know
you’ll be there, open and responsive, to help them if they need you.

Be empathetic. Be aware of their stresses not only at work, but in
everyday life, and know that everyone handles these pressures in their own
way. Listening and empathizing with your employees will show them that you
are approachable and build that important trust!

Don’t interrupt. Interrupting is rude and when leaders interrupt it can seem
like an abuse of power or a lack of concern. Compassionate leaders
welcome two-way communication and don’t interrupt the flow of the dialogue.