Active listening goes beyond being a necessity for leadership. While it is important for all of us to become active listeners if we want to be good leaders, it is also important for us to become active listeners if we want to be good friends, siblings, sons or daughters, boyfriends or girlfriends, and so on. We can use our own personal examples to validate this point.
As we make our way through the obstacles of life, we will all hit rough patches. We will suffer mistakes, headaches, and heartbreaks. We will search for every means of strength to make it through the tough times. I went through tough times in August when I split up with my girlfriend of 3 years. I was not ready for the relationship to end and didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, and worst of all, I gave up on everything I had going. My grades slipped, and I was not fun to hang out with. It was the listening of other people that got me through the tough times.
I was able to talk to my mom and sisters about the things I felt, and know that they were listening with empathy and advice. It was that fact alone that made me realize, I might be okay without my ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend. It is from this that I realized, if I want to truly show my respect and care for somebody else, I need to be able to lend an ear.
This same thing resonates with every leader. Leaders need to be able to listen and understand what their subordinates have to say or feel. If leaders can show that they listen and empathize with their followers, trust will be easier to build than a Legos set.
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Like you, I found Professor Feinberg’s lecture on active listening extremely useful, not just for leadership but in all areas of life. I like that fact that you are able to relate what you’ve learned in CSR 309 to your everyday life. I think the best part about this blog post is the fact that you dare to get personal. I think it was brave of you to share this personal story with us and it’s great what you’ve learned. Most importantly, the fact that you are able to connect this story back to leadership is the sign of a great blog. It seems like through CSR 309 you’ve gained the ability to see leadership in almost any situation. In the end, I believe that is the sole purpose of what Professor Feinberg is trying to engrain in us. Also, I believe this blog has great writing. I feel that anyone who would read this blog, whether or not they are taking CSR 309, would be able to relate and take something away from it.
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