Why your team's best ideas might depend on this one thing
I have the secret to getting your team members to be more innovative and creative.
Listen.
That’s it, that’s the secret.
When you give your team member your best quality attention and listen to them with curiosity about what they might say you are actually helping them to think better.
The quality of your attention directly relates to the quality of their thinking.
I wish you could experience it for yourself like the participants of my Think Like A Coach Workshop do.
I put everyone in pairs and they choose who go will go first as the listener and the thinker.
The listener asks the thinker, What is something you’re looking forward to this week?
For the first 90 seconds the listener is instructed to give the thinker their best quality attention, which means listening without interruption.
For the second 90 seconds the listener is instructed to be distracted.
The impact on the thinker is immediate.
They go from free flowing speech, feeling valued and enjoying the conversation to frequently losing their place and wondering why they’re even bothering.
People know when you’re not giving them your attention and it interrupts their thinking just as much as if you verbally interrupt them.
You probably know this already from your own experience.
When was the last time you got to speak freely and follow your thoughts without being interrupted?
What does it feel like when you’re talking to your boss and they’re still on their phone or laptop?
Giving someone your attention doesn’t mean you have to give them all of your time.
Be clear up front how much time you have and when you notice that there is 2-3 minutes left, interrupt and ask them a question to wrap up the conversation such as:
- What’s your next step?
- What support do you need from me?
I’d love to know what happens for you when you give this a try so please let me know. I reply to every email I get.
Till next time
Jude
PS: If you’re looking for practical ways to develop your managers into confident, coach-like leaders, my Think Like A Coach programme is for you. Hit reply if you want the details.
