Many times bosses or managers complain that team members don’t really listen to what they are being told or guided in order to complete their work. When it comes to team meetings, bosses feel awful when team members keep looking at their mobile screens or chit-chatting with each other while they are busy making important announcements. So, if you don’t want to get the tag of “no-listener” in your team or organization, here are some ways to improve your listening skills in the office.
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1) Nod your head when something serious is being said:
In a team meeting or an official meeting, if your boss or manager talks about the importance of a project or how the client has to be dealt with for cordial relations, you have to nod your head with their important statements. Don’t keep nodding your head all the time as it makes you look like a fake listener. You can simply nod your head when you agree with the points of your manager or boss.
2) Ask questions when in doubt:
Many times team meetings get ended soon because there are no questions being asked by the team members or employees in the meeting. Instead of maintaining silence throughout the meeting, you can simply raise your hands when your boss asks the team members for suggestions or any doubts. You can be the person who can ask relevant questions which you think may be useful for your team members’ doubts as well. Don’t shy away but stand up and put your point forward. This will make your boss realize that you were truly listening to each point being shared by him in the meeting.
3) Note down the important points:
Bosses or managers are always in rush, so they may or may not send you the important points discussed in the team meetings. You can take the task in your hand and put those pointers in a notepad or a writing pad and underline the points where you think you need more clarity. You can also show the team meeting minutes to your boss after the meeting is done and get his or her approval to send it to your team members. They will feel respected because there is someone who wants to be a value-addition to the team and not just simply do their job and get their salary credited.
Last but not the least, don’t spoil the show. When in a meeting, if things are going haywire wherein the boss is really upset with the team’s performance, don’t interrupt him and spoil his mood further. Instead, you can listen to all the accusations or frustrations he has stored in his mind for the team members. And then take a firm stand and share how you feel responsible for the mistakes or errors done by the team and how you would like to assure your boss on everyone’s behalf that you all would be working quite harder and smarter to achieve the company’s goals.
