How can you actively listen to manage change?

Active listening is the ability to understand the words and emotions of the person expressing the concern. It is also the ability to read between the lines and things that haven't been explicitly expressed and always good to confirm if you have understood the person's concern correctly. Also, active listening (AL) should contribute to address the concern and overcome the challenges for the change. Every change brings some new set of challenges initially which people might not like as it challenges the status quo. It is therefore to be made sure that your AL skills are put to the best use and change is effective and builds your reputation as a trusted leader whose has brought change for the good of its people.

In my experience, creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their view is so important. Sometimes, it is beneficial to have one on one sessions with specific team members since not everyone is comfortable speaking in a group. This is especially true when managers or team members with strong views are present. Active listening requires us to give our full attention to the person speaking. This is also true for the person raising the concern or sharing an idea. Implementing a no phone rule for these meetings could minimise distraction for both parties.

One thing I found helpful, be in the moment, give the space for the other person/team to speak and put your 100% in understanding what they say and not to get distracted about how you want to answer/counter or ask next question

Active listening extends beyond words to include body language. These nonverbal cues offer valuable insights into thoughts and feelings, even when left unspoken. In one-on-one meetings or focus groups, being fully present and attentive to all forms of communication makes a significant difference. It prevents misunderstandings and ensures you're hearing the full message. To truly gather insights from nonverbal cues, it's essential to have established trust and a safe space for open communication.

Change generally is difficult for most to navigate through. As a leader, when you provide an environment that supports a "safe space" or "true open door" culture, your teams will feel comfortable to voice their concerns and in turn, feel heard. By actively listening to your team, it presents you with the opportunity to learn about their needs and concerns. Once you are made aware, you now have the ability to address the concerns and tailor your message to the individual team member in a way to ensure positive understanding and promote reduced resistance to change.

Active listening involves engagement. Showing you are paying attention and interested through questions and confirming understanding during the conversation by affirmative responses. If you have take away actions from conversations follow through and also provide progress updates if appropriate.

It's crucial to practice not interrupting the person you are listening to. If you feel that the other person is being long winded or having a difficult time articulating their thoughts, ask open ended questions to help them get there. Validate the speakers contributions and empathize with their perspective. Ask for clarification as needed.

One thing I have found to be very helpful is to actually ‘lean in’ physically to center the other person on you. By moving forward I am reducing chance for outside distractions and keying the speaker into my heightened levels of interest. Also, it doesn’t hurt to sometimes restate pieces of the conversation to ensure the speaker you are engaged and have clarity around what is being said. There is no magic pill to this but showing purposeful interest tends to work for most.

When communicating change I recommend first holding space for emotions other have regarding change. I think it's a mistake to ignore the feelings people have related to change, which often are negative. Next I recommend making a point to spend time discussing the opportunities that the change will create. This can help mitigate the negative emotions many people have about change. Lastly, be sure to thank people for the work that has been done up to the point of the change. Acknowledge the work of the past, while building excitement about the future.

In my work, a key component is feedback. I hold listening sessions with our change agents regularly, in a virtual environment. It can be particularly difficult to show that you're actively listening in a virtual world. Here's are some things I do to elicit the best and most robust feedback: - Turn on my camera. - Look directly in the camera for the duration of the call. - Focus on my facial expressions to show interest, empathy, and genuine responses. I use body language as well, but others can't see most of my body so it's less valuable. - Repeat, paraphrase, acknowledge, and share gratitude for feedback verbally. - Ask coworkers to make notes, so I'm focused only on what change agents are saying. I hope these practices benefit you!

Foster an environment where your team feel safe being open and vulnerable and sharing their genuine thoughts and ideas. When they do decide to share, always actively listen and confirm back to them when they have finished to ensure you understand what they have said. Reply thoughtfully, if you do not have a response ready, tell them that they have given you a lot to think about and take the thought away. Ensure you always give constructive and honest feedback in response to any idea/comment/feedback given to you.

In addition to mentioned in the context - It's essential to maintain an open mindset while practicing active listening. Merely being an active listener with a biased perspective leads to limited outcomes. In a multi-level organization, achieving this might pose challenges, but it's a practice worth embracing.

I think even before you go into a performance approval you have to have built up the trust with the employee over a period of time. Then your active listening should be better as you have some background knowledge on the person and it will give you context for the information they provide to you.

It is important to find yourself having enough time to listen to your employees or team members. If you are busy or stressed please try to avoid listening sessions else it may lead to some bias in judgement too. It is important that employees are heard fully with empathy and without interruption. After having listened please ask open ended questions and make them participate in a lively discussion. Who knows you may find amazing solutions to unsolved problems in your organization by this simple exercise too

Explore the application of active listening in the context of performance appraisal. Discuss how it can facilitate constructive feedback by allowing managers to acknowledge achievements and address areas for improvement empathetically. Guide managers on creating a supportive environment for appraisal discussions, fostering open communication, and setting realistic goals for professional growth.

5W1H based on salient points being discussed and it never hurts to circle back to square one to see the relativity of to-be vs as-is with the points discussed.

Active listening in change management involves being fully present and engaged in understanding the viewpoints and concerns of those impacted by the change. It goes beyond simply hearing words, it entails empathizing and comprehending the emotions and thoughts behind them. For example, actively listening involves observing non-verbal cues from team members alongside their spoken remarks during a discussion about new procedures. It's about paying attention to the stories they share about their daily challenges, sensing the hesitation in their voices when discussing new tasks, feeling enthusiasm when they talk about potential benefits. These subtle cues provide valuable insights that can guide more empathetic and effective change management.

Le changement entraîne souvent un stress ou une peur. En effet les équipes sortent de leur zone de confort pour aller vers l’inconnu. Un bon Gestionnaire doit être capable d’écouter les craintes, ne pas mettre de barrières sur l’expression des doutes, être présent pour apporter des réponses aux questions. L’honnêteté est un point-clé pour la réussite du changement. Atténuer les difficultés dans la conduite du changement, donner des réponses évasives et jouer la carte du silence seront des poisons qui guideront vers l’échec.

In addition to mentioned in the context - Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment is paramount when practicing active listening. Individuals should feel secure in sharing their concerns, especially when it involves challenges with other team members. This approach ensures open communication and promotes a positive outcome.

I was lucky enough to participate in the Crucial Conversations Book and course (by J. Grenny, K. Patterson, R. McMillan) if you have read this incredible book before, I suggest you read it every year, role play and practice. If you have not, then find it in Amazon and read it! If you have the opportunity to do the course with your organization and your leaders participate, it will be a career changing event. If you have questions about the course or the book, ping me. I get very passionate about this topic, it has helped me to improve my relationships with clients, gain trust, at home, get promoted and sell $$$$ enterprise bucks. Good luck!