Listening Leaders Archived Edition

October 18, 2006

LISTENING LEADERS TENACIOUSLY TAME TIME

Listening Leaders® tenaciously tackle the task of taming time in the quest of enhancing economy and efficiency.

As the United States population has grown to more than three hundred million souls, each hopeful their single voice will be heard in the ensuing din, effective listeners must concern themselves with the economics of creating new listening efficiencies.

As noted in a previous Listening Leader® Newsletter (March 15, 2006), Thomas Edison argued, “Time is the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.” Although it is one of our most valuable possessions, the sanctity of time is not protected by law. In addition, our listening time cannot be expanded, accumulated, mortgaged, hastened, or retarded. Listening time can only be valued and managed. For as the British writer, Max Beerbohm astutely noted, “I believe the twenty-four hour day has come to stay.”

Reflecting on school days past, the remembrance of a sign under a classroom clock which read, “Time Passes…Will You?” remains relevant to all present day students of listening and life. Outstanding listeners move beyond measuring time by refining the magical method of managing time.

The secret for efficient listeners resides amongsts the wisdom of economists. For asTor Dahl, the genius leader of Tor Dahl & Associates, a world leader in advancing individual and organizational productivity contends, “The most important insights relate to how we use time in the best possible way. Time is the ultimate scarce commodity, yet everyone has all there is. The use of that time defines us as human beings, and economics rises magnificently to this task. Economics needs to know what we want in return for the time we have been given, and plots a path, or reveals a strategy, which will most likely get us what we want.” The ultimate question, raised by Tor Dahl, is: “How can you maximize your contribution? How can you minimize your cost of time? How can you produce the satisfaction that comes with achievement?

Tor Dahl & Associates’ successful productivity strategy is rooted in the fundamental belief that productivity is about removing barriers to individual performance, freeing up resources from unproductive processes, and reallocating those resources to higher yield activities that support individual and organizational growth objectives. Of course, effective Listening Leaders® have focused on removing listening barriers, freeing up, and reallocating listening resources for ages. The secret lies in how they use their time.

First, Listening Leaders® value time by remembering the pointed observation of the British economist, John Maynard Keynes, who said, “In the long run we are all dead.” Controlling time to listen is only valuable in the here and now. The old Proverb, “Waste not and want not” becomes a guiding mantra for all productive listeners.

Second, Listening Leaders® create a practical strategy and workable tactics to optimize their daily listening efforts. They prioritize the numerous factors of: to whom and what; where; when; why; and how they listen. In the process, they calculate the cost/return ratio of how they spend their time listening. As a result, they establish and follow a concrete daily listening plan. Thus, they seldom have to repeat Shakespeare’s immortal words, “I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.”

Third, Listening Leaders® embrace modern technology to cut through the babble of wasted and unwanted words. With selected speech compression technology, fast-forwarding, and entire elimination of unwanted messages, it is now possible for every listener to control a calculated amount of their listening, and obviously save a significant amount of time. As advertisers discovered some time ago, “66 second minute ads” could be created by shortening audio and video recordings up to 12 percent with no discernable negative results. Turn the process around and listeners can now control their utilization of time.

The simple fact remains: The ultimate arbiter of who controls your listening time is you.

LISTENING LEADER KNOWLEDGE NUGGET: Listening Leaders® tenaciously create additional listening time.

Speech compression technology has now been supplemented with speech exclusion technology for more than fifty years. In addition, over the same last half-century, listening research has established the average human speech speed ranges from 125 to 180 words per minute. Factor in the ability of listeners to listen and comprehend the spoken word up to 400 words per minute without substantial loss of comprehension, and thoughtful listeners find ways to tame time.

The long and short of taming listening time largely resides in the hands of listeners who choose to act as thoughtful consumers. Controlling time is the impetus behind many new technologies that allow listeners to pick up the pace. Numerous speech compression tools can be found on the internet, but one favorite is the simple time expanding service of TiVo®.

The process is simple. Carefully select your favorite, must-see television programs and TiVo® records them while you are taming your time in other pursuits. Then, when you are ready, you listen to the portions you choose. If you want to listen to something twice, you choose. If you want to skip all of the advertisements or mind-numbing negative political ads, you just fast-forward through. If you choose to watch 60 Minutes in its entirety, it only takes an investment of 32 minutes. If you choose to consume any 30-minute segment of Seinfeld, it only requires 17 minutes. If you enjoy Major League Baseball playoffs, you can watch the recorded real action of nine innings in about 15 minutes. Multiply your annual investment in watching television and you will have something that should warm the cockles of the hearts of economists and Listening Leaders® everywhere. Better yet, listen to the 1981 television viewing advice of the British writer, Malcolm Muggeridge, who said, “I have had my aerials removed and found it is the moral equivalent of a prostrate operation.” Now that is a way to really tame listening time!

LISTENING LEADER TIP OF THE WEEK: Establish a listening time taming strategy and operational tactics.

GOLDEN CIRCLE LISTENING LEADERS QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

Time and tide wait for no man ~ Proverb
Time will tell ~ Proverb
There is a time and place for everything ~ Proverb
An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening ~ Proverb
Time is but a stream I go fishing in ~ Henry David Thoreau

A LISTENING LEADER GIGGLE:

Astute Listening Leader® Doug Neiner reminds us that we will save time and heart ache when we move beyond only hearing what we want to hear.

The story is told about a city slicker who was driving through the country when he spotted a horse standing in a field. He was quite taken with the animal and pulled over to ask the farmer if it was for sale.

"Afraid not," said the farmer.

"I'll give you a thousand bucks!" said the city slicker.

"I can't sell you that horse ‘cause he don't look too good," replied the farmer.

Impatiently the city slicker responded, "I know horses and he looks fine. I'll give you two thousand!"

"Well, all right, if you want him so bad."

The next day, the man returned with the horse, screaming that he had been taken advantage of. "You sold me a blind horse!" he yelled at the farmer.

"Well," said the farmer, "I told you he didn't look too good."

The moral remains, taking time to listen beyond what you want to hear pays rich dividends.

LISTENING LEADERS KUDOS

Congratulations go to all bosses who were recognized on Monday, October 16th during National Boss Day. The International Association of Administrative Professional conducted a study in 2005 that identified the qualities that are most important in a boss. The first item, by an overwhelming number of respondents, is being an excellent communicator, with an emphasis on listening.

BECOME CERTIFIED TO TEACH LISTENING LEADERSHIP IN YOUR ORGANIZATION. You will become fully equipped to deliver a unique and proven Workshop that provides practical and measurable results. For certification details, go to www.ListeningLeaders.com

WE ARE LISTENING and invite your action:

Together, we can change the listening attitudes, skills, and knowledge of leaders throughout the world. We appreciate and invite your assistance in expanding our listening leader’s connections. Eight simple steps in advancing this important movement include:

Create time to listen..
Forward this newsletter to your children, grandchildren, friends and colleagues. More important, invite them to Subscribe to the “complimentary and weekly” newsletter by going to www.listeningleaders.com
Send us your listening leader insights, examples and stories.
Start a Listening Leaders Reading and Discussion Group. Invite your Librarian to purchase our Award winning LISTENING LEADER book.
As meeting, conference, and convention attendees spend the bulk of their time listening, please let others know of our availability to Keynote Conventions and customize Listening Leader Workshops.
Invite us to identify specific needs for listening development of leaders in your organizations.
Ask about our proven listening leader training programs and our customized in-house train-the-trainer strategies and our new Certification program.

We can help, we are committed, and we are listening.
Listen, Lead On & Make Today Count! – Manny & Rick
__________________________________________________________________

LISTENING LEADERS: THE TEN GOLDEN RULES
TO LISTEN, LEAD & SUCCEED

By Dr. Lyman K. Steil
& Dr. Richard K. Bommelje

Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press
(ISBN 1-59298-073-2)

A pioneering book that directly connects listening with leadership.Based on more than 50 collective years of work with listening leaders throughout the world, Dr. Steil and Dr. Bommelje have created 10 practical, proven, and priceless rules to enhance everyone's listening and leadership success. Although outstanding leaders are outstanding listeners, most leaders have neglected the development of their listening attitudes, skills and knowledge.

“This is the most significant book ever written on listening and leadership and will profit leaders at all levels in all types of organizations and enterprises.” Dr. Ralph Nichols, Father of the Field of Listening

ORDER YOUR COPY at www.ListeningLeaders.com or www.amazon.com

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Dr. Lyman K. (Manny) Steil
25 Robb Farm Road
St. Paul, MN 55127
651-483-3597
LKS@ListeningLeaders.com

Dr. Richard K. (Rick) Bommelje
8530 Amber Oak Dr
Orlando, FL 32817
407-679-7280
RKB@ListeningLeaders.com

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