The Chinese character meaning "to listen" is made up of the symbols for ears, eyes, undivided attention and heart. But how many of us really give the act of listening the full, complete-body attention it deserves?

This is especially true in today's workplace, where experts say we spend 90 per cent of our day communicating; yet dedicate only 45 per cent of that time to actually listening.

We may think that when we hear the sound of someone's voice, we are listening to them. But from the Chinese definition, we know that is really only a small part of the equation.

Listening is a skill that needs to be developed. It is about trying to understand another person's viewpoint, and that requires a conscious choice to listen and a mental effort to collect and analyze the information being received.

When employers do not take the time to listen, or listen only half-heartedly to their people, the results can be devastating. Employees that do not believe their manager is truly listening to their thoughts and ideas quickly grow apathetic about the organization and the result is indifference instead of engagement.

In his new book, The Lost Art of Listening: How Learning to Listen Can Improve Relationships, author Michael Nichols addresses that being a good manager is intrinsically linked to being a good listener.

"Effective managers are proactive listeners. They don't wait for members of their staff to come to them; they make an active effort to find out what their people think and feel by asking them," he writes.

Nichols acknowledges the fact that managers who are poor listeners don't set out to be intentionally mean or insensitive. Quite often at work, as in any other arena, listening can be undermined by anxiety, preoccupation or pressure. That's why it takes some work.

He goes on to debunk the myth that having an open-door policy means that a manager is a good listener. Sure, an open door does allow more access, but it still requires the employee to go to the manager instead of the manager making an effort to reach out and listen.

"The manager who doesn't ask questions communicates that he or she doesn't care. And if he or she doesn't listen, the message is 'I'm not there for you,'" Nichols says, going on to offer a number of tips for employers to become better listeners, including:

Communicating by memo or e-mail doesn't substitute for personal contact, because it closes off the chance to listen.

Fake listening doesn't fool anyone. When you go through the motions, but make poor eye contact, shuffle feet, fidget and offer insincere replies like "That's interesting," or "Is that right?" people interpret it as a lack of interest in them.

Effective managers incorporate communication time into their routine. This includes meeting with staff formally and informally to talk and to ask questions. "If they don't know what their people are thinking and feeling, they ask -- and they listen," Nichols says.

Interestingly, Nichols says that the more powerful and admired the boss is, the more people tend to keep their negative feedback to themselves because they don't want to risk angering the person in charge. Managers need to make it safe for everyone to offer their ideas and opinions -- even those that are contrary to their own beliefs.

As a leader, it may be difficult to accept that listening skills are not innately present and must actually be developed. But good listening must be practiced time and again, especially when surrounded by distractions and faced with a tendency to be more focused on products than on the people producing them. It's important not to lose touch with the fact that nothing can replace the ability to stop and concentrate on what another person is saying.

Effective listening prevents mistakes and miscommunication, boosts staff performance and improves retention while increasing your effectiveness as a leader. But as with most things that are worthwhile, it does not always come naturally or easy.

As Winston Churchill once said, "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

-- With reporting by Barbara Chabai
 
John McFerran, PhD, CMC, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com