That’s maddeningly difficult for many of us
Effective leaders need credibility. Unfortunately, many lack it. There is, though, a perfectly simple way leaders can build credibility—fast—through more effective listening.
Listening isn’t a skill that comes naturally to most of us. And it’s not a skill that’s taught in school.
But mastering the skill of listening and practicing it regularly can go a long way toward building trust and credibility.
This isn’t about sitting in meetings and hearing the words being spoken around you. It’s about consciously and deliberately asking people to share with you their needs, their concerns, and the roadblocks they face. And then actually doing something about what you’ve heard.
That kind of listening matters all the time, of course. But it matters even more during times of change.
Why Listening Matters During Change
Change creates uncertainty. Uncertainty leads to speculation and rumors. Rumors spread quickly and, before you know it, misinformation is rampant, morale is declining, and the risk of turnover is growing.
Healthcare organizations are all experiencing a significant amount of change these days due to both the promise and the potential perils of rapidly advancing technologies. Processes are changing. New needs are emerging. Staff concerns are escalating. And, in this uncertain environment, you don’t always have the answers. That’s okay.
When you’re rolling out new systems, staff is stressed. Workflows change. Things get disrupted. You can have significant impact not by focusing on how you’re going to fix everything, but on listening to find problems, address those that can easily be fixed, and demonstrating that you understand and are working to address, if not resolve, tougher issues.
That’s what builds credibility.
Leaders who listen for some of the most common, daily irritations and fix them are banking credibility points for times when the fix isn’t that simple.
Years ago when I was working for a health system, we ran an active, internal campaign called, “What’s bugging you?” The campaign asked employees to identify irritations that many of us in administration may not ever hear about. What we learned was that there were dozens of issues that got in the way of smooth operations and many could be easily resolved.
In today’s world, with new technology there’s even more opportunities for irritations. Maybe the new scheduling system requires extra steps. Maybe portal notifications are confusing patients. Or maybe the card swipe at the employee entrance has been glitching for weeks but never fixed meaning that dozens of employees are starting their day irritated before they even walk through the doors.
Fix what you can quickly. And give credit publicly for staff input.
“Thanks to Chris on the third floor, who reported the problem at the employee entrance, we took care of that. And thanks to Jerry in maintenance for figuring out the cause and fixing it.”
This shows that you not only listened, you took action, you gave credit, and you made sure their irritations were resolved.
That’s how you build credibility.
By listening. Come out from behind your desk. Talk to people.
When you come out from behind your desk and talk to people you can learn what’s bugging them. You find out that the new scheduling system abandoned 30% of patients, and those patients are calling angry. You find out that non-clinical scheduling staff is getting calls from panicked patients about test results.
When you know about problems, fix what you can fix. Fast.
The Visibility Principle
One thing studies show: if you come around to the other side of the desk—if you’re actually with your people—you stand a chance of making real progress.
You can’t lead through email. You can’t build credibility through memos about the new system. You have to be visible. You have to be present. You have to do listening rounds.
So here’s what I want you to think about:
Are you doing listening rounds right now? Have you asked your team what’s bugging them about the changes they’re managing? Have you found quick wins and given public credit?
Change is hard. Uncertainty is even harder. What your staff needs from you now is for you to be present, for you to listen, and for you to show them that their feedback matters.
That’s how you build credibility. That’s how you maintain culture during change.
Tags: effective listening, healthcare leadership, leadership credibility, listening to learn
