Leadership Alchemy No. 6 – Your Ears, Your Leadership Superpower!!!
By Anupama Vaidya What are the chances that a common theme appears as a trend through your work on a particular day? And that too, just a few days after we celebrate a day dedicated to this theme – the World Listening Day on July 18th. Last week, a relaxed conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee turned into a deep dive of leadership traits. Our focus quickly narrowed to the decline of active listening, a trend both observed firsthand in our roles. Frequent interactions with leaders across various organizations, from one-on-one meetings to group meetings to interviews, highlighted a concerning pattern of diminishing listening skills. This observation was further reinforced during two consecutive management meetings later that day. I couldn’t help wonder how productive the conversations could be if the participants listened to understand and be in the context! The restorative power of a long drive after a mentally demanding day cannot be undermined. With an ...