Are you a really good listener?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is an excellent five-page article by Jeffrey Yip and Colin M. Fisher in the May-June 2025 issue of the Harvard Business Review on pages 139 to 143 titled Are you really a good listener? which you can listen to here. But you have to pay for the full text unless, like me, you can find that magazine free in databases such as EBSCOhost at your public library.

 

There are sections in that article titled Haste, Defensiveness, Invisibility, Exhaustion, and Inaction with the following statements:

 

Under Haste:

 

“Good listening is a demanding task that tames time. In our work we’ve found that people feel heard only when listeners focus their attention, demonstrate interest, and ensure that they’re understood.”

 

Under Defensiveness:

 

“The lesson is to steel yourself against defensiveness by calming your own emotions and seeking to understand the other parties’ intentions before responding. Before you speak, take stock of yourself. If you feel criticized or threatened, buy yourself time by simply restating what you think the speaker has said or thanking that person for sharing.”  

 

Under Invisibility:

 

“One of the most common mistakes we see among managers is not showing that they’re listening, which makes them appear indifferent and disconnected. Sometimes organizational leaders are working behind the scenes to fix problems identified in town halls or staff surveys but fail to broadcast those efforts to employees.”

 

Under Exhaustion:

 

“Exhaustion is a silent killer of effective listening. When leaders are physically or emotionally drained, they lose their capacity to focus, process, and engage productively with employees.”  

 

Under Inaction:

 

“The final pitfall is perhaps the most pernicious: receiving the speaker’s message but then not following up on it.”

 

The cartoon was adapted from one at OpenClipArt.