Doing Business by the Good Book Ch 30

The Importance of Listening

• Listening is crucial for gaining wisdom and knowledge. The advice to "listen to advice and accept instruction" (Proverbs 19:20) is vital for future success.
• Listening is more valuable than speaking; a wise person prioritizes listening. Mark Twain famously noted the disproportion in human anatomy if we were to speak more than listen.
• Jesus himself emphasized the importance of listening in Mark 4:23-24, advising followers to "pay attention to what you hear", highlighting the direct correlation between active listening and receiving wisdom.
• Respecting others and listening to their perspectives results in reciprocal respect and trust, creating strong relations.

Listening in Leadership

• Leaders are traditionally viewed as effective speakers, and this prioritization of speaking over listening is a learned notion from childhood. Education often exemplifies leadership as a speaker-centric role, perpetuating skewed perspectives.
• In business, a leader who is not a skilled listener is essentially a mute leader. A good manager actively listens to employees, suppliers, and customers to ensure clear and honest communication pathways.
• Effective listening in business fosters respect for employees' and customers' input and promotes positive collaboration within the organization.
• Effective leaders demonstrate respect for others' ideas by actively listening, avoiding interruptions, and allowing others to express their thoughts completely.

Techniques for Active Listening

• Engage in keen listening of others.
• Asking pertinent questions, such as "By this you mean..." or "How will this affect..." can encourage further information from others.
• Open-ended questions are valuable in gathering more input.
• Follow up with additional questions to confirm understanding and ascertain credibility of information received.
• Restating answers to confirm comprehension can bolster understanding.

Listening, Wisdom, and Decision-Making

• Proverbs 19:20 illustrates how listening leads to wisdom and, consequently, to greater success and fulfillment. King Solomon, known for his wisdom, valued listening. Wisdom, as he understood it, yielded not just knowledge but substantial benefit.
• A good listener must not merely hear but also act based on what is heard. Mere lip service to listening, without subsequent action, is ineffective. Listen, inquire, act.
• Leaders must act upon the suggestions given by those below them to maintain positive internal company relationships.
• Leaders must discern the issues that merit direct intervention from minor problems managed at the lower levels of the company. Listen to problems from many parties with contrasting agendas to make final decisions.

Delegation and Effective Leadership

• Leaders must delegate effectively to avoid being burdened by minor issues that can be addressed by others.
• A good leader stays directly involved in major problems and important decisions.
• Divergent viewpoints, even dissenting opinions, between departments need careful consideration. Leaders must prudently listen, weigh information, and make the best decision for the organization.