The First Essential Key to Leadership

In developing your leadership skills, one of the most important keys I will speak about is how well do you listen? Your leadership for the most part is defined by your listening skills. Without this key trait, you will find in a very short period of time your organization will not grow. While it is true that Leaders must be visionaries, their following also must be validated by being heard. Leaders are generally good communicators which is what creates their following in the first place but in order to keep their following it is more important to be a great listener.

Think of yourself, how does it feel to not be heard? It takes away the value of the relationship. It actually crates indifference. Your unwillingness to listen can make your leadership fail in many other areas as well, almost like a dominoes effect.

I am not saying you have to agree but you must first hear the concerns of your organization, family or business. You then can validate it by repeating it back - So let me see...what you are saying is... Then as the leader, you now have created an open forum to cast either their vision, goal or dream. Great leaders need to be good listeners, first.