01+Listening

Listening as a skill in a leadership role.

Having a leader who listens to the people working under them. Lambert talks about dialogue in chapter 3 (p22) and how important it is for understanding. I currently work with a leader who has many ideas and assumptions and he brings those ideas to meetings. Though he often acts like he is listening to us it is very clear that there is no dialogue between the leader and the people working with him. He is not actually listening to things that are being said. Having a leader who acts like they are listening and really isn't is one that others can easily see through. When you are treated as though your thoughts and voices aren't being heard or taken into consideration, it leads to an enviornment where people begin to not have conversations and lose trust in their leaders. As Lambert states on page 23, "The purpose of Dialogue is understanding:when we truly listen and build on each other's ideas, we construct meaning and knowledge together."