RG Will Solutions LLC

Leadership Insight #1 – Listening with the Intent to Reply

The number one problem in most organizations and most relationships is communication.

Too much of our communication is one-way. Think about where we spend most of our time, home, work, whatever. We’re having a conversation, discussing a problem, sharing ideas about how to solve the problem, and coming up with the solution. That’s the normal process.

Is that effective? I’ll bet that most of us spend most of our time conversing in “reply mode.” Typically, someone says something. Four words into their thought, we come up with a reply, and we spend our time waiting for them to take a break so we can share our thoughts. Then, we share our response. That’s efficient, but is it effective?

Have you ever had a situation where you thought you understood someone, and you found out later that you didn’t see it from their perspective? I know I have.

That’s why I believe our number one communication problem is “listening.” We think we listen a lot, but most of us are spending time formulating our thoughts while others are talking. If we’re addressing an issue, we must understand the problem before we act.

Next week, I will go into more detail about conversing in “understanding mode.” Until then, have a great week!

It's Wednesday, middle of the week, and I'm in the middle of a lot of things. Thought I'd share some of my thoughts today.

Tomorrow, I turn 62. Another one of those milestone ages we think about as I'm officially eligible for Social Security. I'm so blessed to get here. Yet could I have imagined what my life would have been like when I was a child? I doubt it. First, I never made it to Major League Baseball and starred for the Cardinals. However, I was blessed enough to attend Cardinals Legends Camp four times and those memories are priceless!

I think, though, that this is the secret to being a good leader. Things are not always going to work out the way you think or want them to. Good leaders recognize this and are flexible. They pivot, look at the landscape, and realize they need to do something different. They help their employees to do the same thing. They realize that change is the only constant in the world, and they react accordingly.

Today, I'm blessed with excellent clients, good partners, and meaningful work. I have an incredible wife, incredible family, wonderful friends, and a nice place to live. Life may not have turned out exactly the way I wanted it to, but it's been a wonderful ride so far.

And, next time you see me, ask me to share my Legends Camp stories. They always bring a smile to my face and some of them are pretty funny as well! Have a blessed day!