Listening Leaders Archived Edition

JANUARY 10, 2007

LISTENING LEADERS ACQUIRE AN ARSENAL OF ABILITIES

Listening Leaders® accumulate an arrayed arsenal of ascribed listening abilities. In the 21st century, it is crucial for every leader to spotlight specific listening abilities, or lack thereof, for as the 17th Century French poet, Jean de La Fontaine so aptly noted: “One should oblige everyone to the extent of one’s ability.”

Obviously, listening related abilities develop in many ways and are exhibited and measured in the fulfillment of numerous important activities. Some listening abilities are endowed and inherent; while other listening abilities are developed, honed, and refined over time. Regardless, of how listening abilities are established, Listening Leaders® invest systematic and focused energy in building their vast arsenal of abilities.

First and foremost, leaders identify the broad array of abilities related to their activity of listening and leading. Examples of listening related abilities include the abilities of: “Sense-ability, Understand-ability, Judgement-ability, Response-ability, Predict-ability, Account-ability, Respect-ability, Rely-ability, Reflect-ability, Forgive-ability, Embrace-ability, Achieve-ability, Endure-ability, Retain-ability, Assist-ability, Resist-ability, Market-ability, Thrive-ability, and Profit-ability.

Second, leaders identify and evaluate their assumed level of specific ability accomplishment, and their level of actual daily practice. Like Santa Claus they constantly make two simple lists and check them twice. Initially, they ask the simple question, “What are my listening related abilities and inabilities?” Recognizing that listening related abilities that are not utilized are of little value, they ask the more important question, “To what degree do I engage my listening abilities?” Or in the words of an old Proverb, “Saying is one thing, doing is another.”

Third, leaders periodically invite 360¡assessment feedback about their application of various listening abilities from a select group of their Target 25 supporters. By taking advantage of the comparison of the self-perception of their abilities compared to the perceptions of others, they stand to enhance their abilities.

As a result, leaders establish a three prong on-going strategy to: 1) build upon and better utilize their refined abilities; 2) compensate for their limited abilities; and, 3) activate and utilize their listening skills and abilities. In the process a leaders listening arsenal of abilities is expanded.

Throughout the new year three questions deserve to be constantly posed: “What are your listening related skills and abilities?”; “How do you engage them?” and “How will you expand them?”

LISTENING LEADER KNOWLEDGE NUGGET: Listening Leaders® continually add to their arsenal of abilities.

As the 2006 Collegiate Football Season has come to an end, leaders everywhere have a moment in time to consider the tremendous variety of skills exhibited by a large number of young athletes representing a number of schools. With the culmination of multiple Championships and Bowl games the abilities of many were displayed to the satisfaction and/or consternation of observers and fans across the land. As abilities competed with abilities some teams won while others lost. Yet, the talents, skills, and abilities of every involved coach and player stand above the norm.

Like accomplished “Golden Circle Listening Leaders®, outstanding athletes have had their abilities measured, tested, honed, and refined over the years. In addition, they have been exhaustively coached to enhance their abilities and to eliminate and/or, compensate for, their inabilities. Then they are tested on the field of battle, where the individuals and teams of individuals collectively have the opportunity to utilize their arsenal of abilities. Finally, they return to the practice field to work on improving their abilities.

Just as some outstanding athletes arrive at the coliseums gate with innate athletic gifts, some outstanding leaders have been blessed with innate listening gifts. Moreover, as many outstanding athletes are open to being coached and build their arsenal of athletic abilities, many outstanding leaders are open to be coached in building their arsenal of listening abilities. In addition, both outstanding athletes and leaders invest an inordinate amount of time and energy in refining their abilities. For as the renowned baseball player, Satchel Paige observed, “There ain’t no man can avoid being born average. But there ain’t no man got to be common.”

Thus, with excitement and renewed enthusiasm the next collegiate football season has already begun. Coaching vacancies are being filled. Tapes are being rewound and replayed. Everyone’s abilities are being reviewed. Skilled recruits are being signed. New systems and schemes are being designed. Everyone trusts they have the advantage of superior abilities.

In the same vein, outstanding listeners and listening organizations can learn from the model of the athletic arena. They begin with self-assessment and measurement of individual and team members listening abilities. They determine areas of strengths and limitations. They clarify the strong and weak links. They review and evaluate both positive and negative results. They commit to refining listening abilities and establish a training system and schedule. They practice and practice and practice. In short, they follow the advice of George Bernard Shaw who found, “When I was a young man I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work.”

The bottom line for identifying and advancing the arsenal of every Listening Leaders® listening abilities lies in Nike’s charge, “Just Do It!” For in words uttered in the 1st century B. C. by Publilius Syrus, “No one knows what he can do till he tries.”

LISTENING LEADER TIP OF THE WEEK: Replicate the ability enhancing activities of winning athletic teams.

GOLDEN CIRCLE LISTENING LEADERS QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

The average person thinks he isn’t ~ Father Larry Lorenzoni
Doing is better than saying ~ Proverb
It is all very well to be able to write books, but can you waggle you ears ~ J. M. Barrie
To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die ~ Marquis de Vauvenargues
Noise proves nothing, for often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid ~ Mark Twain
Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn’t have to do it himself ~ A. H. Weiler
I don’t know anything about music. In my line you don’t have to ~ Elvis Presley

A LISTENING LEADER GIGGLE:

Speaking of the special abilities of athletes, T. Johnston reminds us that no one holds the right to all abilities. Consider the following:

Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson on being a role model: "I wan' all dem kids to do what I do, to look up to me. I wan' all the kids to copulate me."

New Orleans Saint Running Back George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."

And, upon hearing Joe Jacobi of the Washington Redskins say: "I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl," Matt Millen of the Raiders said: "To win, I'd run over Joe's Mom, too."

Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, applauded his coach, John Jenkins: "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."

Football commentator and former player Joe Theismann observed: "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."

A Senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh vowed: "I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes."

With great clarity, Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach: "You guys line up alphabetically by height." And, "You guys pair up in groups of three, and then line up in a circle.

Stu Grimson, Chicago Blackhawk’s left wing, explaining why he keeps a color photo of himself above his locker: "That's so when I forget how to spell my name, I can still find my clothes."

Lou Duva, veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of heavyweight Andrew Golota: "He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is."

Chuck Nevitt, a North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: "My sister's expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt."

Shelby Metcalf, basketball coach at Texas A&M, was recounting what he told a player who received four F's and one D: "Son, looks to me like you're spending too much time on one subject."

Obviously it is a good that some have the advanced ability to run, shoot, dribble, and skate.

LISTENING LEADERS KUDOS

We salute Jim Skinner, CEO of McDonald’s who has orchestrated a monumental turnaround in the company the past 2 — years. One of Skinner’s key points is face the facts. listen to your customers because they will tell you what really matters.” The power of listening leadership is a crucial factor in an organization that serves 50 million customers every day. NOTE: Durng the next edition of the Listening Leaders newsletter, you will have a chance to give us your opinion on the newsletter.

LISTENING LEADERS OPPORTUNITIES

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

ORDER YOUR “LISTENING LEADERS WORKSHOP ‘IN A BOX’. You don't have to wait for the next live Listening Leaders® Workshop! We now have the entire workshop in a format that you can take at your own pace in the comfort of your own office or home. For 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:

Establish a plan to identify and advance your arsenal of listening abilities.

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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