Page 110 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Listening—Really Listen and You Will Hear More than Words 101

be an excellent listener, you must always tune in to all the mes-
sages directly conveyed to you as well as those you observe and
sense. Verbal, emotional, and behavioral messages all fi t together.
When any one isn’t present, the communication may be incom-
plete. It’s up to you to determine what’s missing and then take
steps to complete the communication, either by asking questions
or by making additional observation.
Throughout your managerial career, keep in mind that every
action communicates something. To be an effective manager, you
have to make a conscious effort to determine the message com-
municated by each action.
Remember that you need to hear more than the notes; you
need to hear the music.

Discovery Lesson 3

Listed here are a few common emotions or attitudes expressed in work
situations. For each one, describe in your manager’s journal the nonver-
bal behaviors you might observe that would indicate these feelings. One
or two examples for each are provided to get you started.

• Fear: When asked for an opinion on an issue, the employee declines
to express it or says, “I don’t have an opinion.” Fear may also be the
cause of employees’ reluctance to say what is on their minds.

• Anger: An employee raises his or her voice or yells at the slightest
provocation. An employee is highly judgmental of other departmen-
tal members.

• Unhappiness: An employee walks around with a sour face or fre-
quently complains.
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