The Top Three Reasons Leaders Need to Be Socially Aware (Part Two): the Top Skill to Build to Increase Your Social Awarness
In last week’s post, I talked about the top three reasons why you, leader, need to be socially aware. They are:
1) It’s a small world, getting smaller by the minute.
2) You can’t be a success in leadership on your own.
3) People do business with people they know and like.
So how do you become socially aware? How do you increase your social awareness?
The number one way is to listen. LISTEN. Stop talking and really focus on the other person and what s/he is saying or trying to express. This means no interrupting and no drafting your response in your head while the other person is speaking. It is being truly present in that moment with that person, completely focused on him.
When we really listen and give another person our full attention, it builds trust and respect and good relationships. Whenever I ask people what qualities or characteristics they think of in great leaders, “being a good listener” is always on the list. Good Listening is developing the skill to peel away layers to get to the core of the message. Yes, you should be able to paraphrase what you heard, AND you should “get” the underlying message, the unspoken words. It means paying attention to body language, voice-tone and the words. Hopefully, these three match and are congruent. If not, body language is the most reliable way to “hear” a message.
It seems simple and yet it isn’t always easy to do. Leaders can build this skill and for those who do, they improve their social awareness and they expand their circle of influence It takes practice, being open to receiving feedback and taking action on the input.
Are you ready to increase your social awareness, build more respectful, trusting relationships and expand your leadership circle of influence?
Tags: leaders, leadership, relationship, social awareness
