There has been a lot written about virtual team leadership in the weeks since the nature of work has fundamentally changed. Strong leadership is more important than ever. I’ve seen firsthand what constitutes a great leader — in the best of times and in the ones that try us the most. The five following qualities make for great leadership, and the more we cultivate each, the better leaders we will become, during the current crisis and beyond.
Every leader needs to learn the difference between listening and hearing. Hearing is passive; listening is active — and it’s the greatest way to understand what is happening in our organizations.
We often find ourselves thinking about our last conversation or preparing for our next meeting, and we’re not fully engaged with the situation at hand. But real listening requires full engagement. You listen not just with your ears, but with all your senses. Great listeners take cues from body language, facial expressions and gestures. What’s not said is just as important as what is said.
We must create avenues and mechanisms for voices to be heard, especially those who might otherwise not have the courage to speak up. We must keep our minds open. We don’t know all the answers, which means we need to show up uniquely to each conversation, to be intentional in every interaction. This means eliminating distractions and focusing only on the people in front of us. More than ever, we need leaders who listen and are intentional about their interactions. Evening Dresses
