By improving your listening skills, you can better understand your team's needs, foster a more inclusive environment, and make more informed decisions.

Research consistently shows that better listening skills in leaders correlate with improved team satisfaction and performance. For instance, Kubota et al. (2004) found that active listening training improved managers' interpersonal skills and increased their subordinates' job satisfaction.

·     Before engaging in a conversation, put awaydistractions like your phone or other devices.

·     Ensure you are in a conducive environment whereyou can focus on the speaker.

·     Use verbal and non-verbal cues to showengagement.

·     Nod, make eye contact, and use affirming wordslike "I see" or "Tell me more."

Kubota, S., Mishima, N., & Nagata, S. (2004). A study of the effects of active listening on listening attitudes of middle managers. Journal of Occupational Health, 46(1), 60-67.

Dillon, J. T. (1982). The effect of questions in education and other enterprises. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 14(2), 127-152.

Weger Jr, H., Castle Bell, G., Minei, E. M., & Robinson, M. C. (2014). The relative effectiveness of active listening in initial interactions. International Journal of Listening, 28(1), 13-31.

Good, D. J., Lyddy, C. J., Glomb, T. M., Bono, J. E., Brown, K. W., Duffy, M. K., ... & Lazar, S. W. (2016). Contemplating mindfulness at work: An integrative review. Journal of Management, 42(1), 114-142.

London, M., & Smither, J. W. (1995). Can multi‐source feedback change perceptions of goal accomplishment, self‐evaluations, and performance‐related outcomes? Theory‐based applications and directions for research. Personnel Psychology, 48(4), 803-839.

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