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Component Manufacturing dverti$er
Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
Adverti$er
June 2020 #12251 Page #44
Change the Way You Lead Meetings and Listen By Ben Hershey, CEO 4Ward Solutions Group
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s a team, we have been providing both in-person and virtual visits for all of our potential and current clients with projects underway. After a recent virtual training week, a company owner called me and told me how much he appreciated that I listened to his team and did not over talk or force a concept on them. This has reminded me of how important it is, right now, that we as leaders in our companies listen first and then provide our input or direction for where you are headed. In fact, this is even more important when working with Millennial and Generation Z associates. I have four individuals who I am honored to provide mentoring, and they are evenly split between the two generations. As I mentioned several years ago in an SBC magazine article on the generational shift from Baby Boomers and Gen X to the Millennial and Gen Z, a key concept is always the importance of listening. Meetings are important, especially now as we adapt to virtual work for many of our employees and what will be potentially future employment. But, a good leader must listen. One of my mentors, Andy Schwitter, who was the CEO of Truswal, helped me understand this as I saw in practice how he would listen to employees, customers, everyone before he would answer. In some cases, he was gathering all the information; in others, it was just important to make sure the individual(s) he was talking with had a chance to provide their input. Sometimes we have leaders, vendors, customers, consultants, etc. who always want to control the conversation, to speak over others, or to say what they have already decided you may need and force a concept on you. They want to (try to) be the smartest guy/gal in the room/industry/etc. But, do they really listen, listen to what you need and what your employees need? Listening is a core principle that you need to hone and put into practice so that your other principles can thrive.
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