Come on, be happy

Here are some questions to help you become a better listener -- and a better helpmate for your colleagues.

2 min read

Communication

Listen

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Listening and kindness are two characteristics of human behavior that sometimes fall by the wayside in the workplace.

“Listen to what others say!” has morphed into a mantra in management. And so it is ignored. Here are some questions to help you become a better listener — and a better helpmate for your colleagues.

  1. What is my role? Knowing what you do, as well as what you are expected to do, is critical to understanding your role in the company.
  2. What is my colleague’s role? Knowing what others do is equally important because, if you don’t understand their roles, you cannot assist them.
  3. What can I do to help? Consider action steps you can take. It may be as simple as being timely or courteous. It may be as time-consuming as actually helping them complete a task.
  4. What’s stopping you from helping out? Some people resist help. None of us like meddlers. Being “of service” is not interfering; it’s offering assistance.
  5. How do you know when you are succeeding? Serving others works when it facilitates work. People work more efficiently and more cooperatively.

And all of this taken together makes for a happier and more productive workplace.

John Baldoni is an internationally recognized leadership educator and executive coach. In 2017, Trust Across America named him a Top Thought Leader in Trust for the fourth consecutive year. Global Gurus ranked Baldoni No. 22 on its list of top 30 global experts, a list he has been on since 2007. In 2014, Inc.com named him to its list of top 50 leadership experts. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including his newest, “MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership.”

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