Posts Tagged ‘Authenticity’

Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership

Have you ever thought about developing better listening skills? Well, if you want to be an effective leader, developing better listening skills is essential.

I learned the importance of developing better listening skills for effective leadership during a successful career as a litigator, policy maker, entrepreneur, and serving on the boards of many community organizations.

I am not talking about whether you can hear or not. Instead, I am referring to the ability to connect with someone because you not only hear what they are saying, but also understand what they are not saying. This often called 360 listening.

Today, I am sharing with you the lessons that I have learned about the importance of developing better listening skills in making me a better a leader. Hopefully, you can learn from my experiences!

1. Developing Better Listening Skills Builds Trust

The ability to connect and to build trust in a meaningful way is a key component of leadership.

I recently read an article by Melissa Daimler, “Listening is an Overlooked Leadership Tool” in the Harvard Business Review. Ms. Daimler makes an excellent point that, “The most powerful mode of communication is that of two people listening.”

At one time, I thought that as the leader, I should be the person doing most of the talking. However, I realized that I was a more effective leader when I listened and asked questions.

Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership

2. Developing Better Listening Skills Builds Respect

I learned that there is no better way to show respect to another person than to listen to what she is saying. I had to learn to stop looking at emails when a team member came to talk to me. I also had to learn to stop multi-tasking, and to pay attention to the person standing in front of me.

Sometimes, I found myself so worried about getting stuff down, that I forgot about the importance of effective communication with the people who worked with me.

As Steven Covey said in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand.” I learned to understand by listening. Once I began developing better listening skills, I became a more effective leader.

Below is a checklist that I have developed to help me and my colleagues in developing better listening skills. Hopefully, the checklist will help you as you learn to connect, build trust, and communicate by developing better listening skills.

3. The Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership Checklist™

1. I understand that developing better listening is a skill that I absolutely must develop.

2. When I am listening to someone, I eliminate distractions and give that person my full attention. I am no longer:

Processing what I want to say as they are speaking
Jumping to conclusions or making assumptions about what they are trying to communicate
Interrupting people when I should be listening
Other__________________________________________

3. As I am developing better listening skills, I am:

Looking for non-verbal clues
Asking deep questions
Thinking before I speak
Following up on our conversation
Other___________________________________________

4. I do not hesitate to make notes about conversations I have just had, to remind myself of important details or follow-up actions I must take.

5. I am aware of the three different types of listening, and what differentiates them:

Internal listening
Focused listening
360 listening

6. I am working hard to practice 360 listening.

7. I understand that developing better listening skills actively builds trust.

Developing Better Leadership Skills for Effective Leadership

Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership

Conclusion

The importance of developing better listening skills for effective leadership can not be overstated. Over a successful career as a litigator, policy maker, entrepreneur, and serving on numerous boards, I have learned from my experiences. Hopefully, you can begin developing better listening skills as you grow as a leader in your job, your business, and your community.

I would love to hear from you about the leadership challenges that you face! Leave me a comment below!

At My Biz Dream Team, we can show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out the Special Report and Training Guide: Build My Business Dream Team. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.

Pamela Montgomery

I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, helping you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!

How to Showcase Your Fabulous and Authentic Voice

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Showcase Your Fabulous and Authentic Voice

How to Showcase Your Fabulous and Authentic Voice

This week’s episode of My Biz Dream Team: Opportunity Wednesday Training Series is all about how to showcase your fabulous and authentic voice. In this episode, we discuss the importance of sharing your expertise in a manner that builds trust and loyalty. As you share your expertise, you build your authority status and become a trusted advisor.

Henry David Thoreau wrote, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” The “song” is not music. Instead, it is your unexpressed authentic self, waiting to come out. Perhaps it is fear of rejection or fear of success that keeps you from sharing with the world your wisdom and expertise. Or it could be a lack of confidence. Whatever is holding you back, can emerge as you become an entrepreneur.

In a Huffington Post article, Dennis Merritt Jones wrote, “Finding your authentic voice is for naught unless you are willing to use it.” Once you begin to use your authentic voice, magic starts to occur in your life.

Are you ready to use and showcase your fabulous authentic voice?

In this episode, we discuss 5 steps that showcase your fabulous and authentic voice. They are:

1. Write Blog Posts

One of the best ways to showcase your voice is to write blog posts that present top quality information using your unique perspective.

2. Publish a Book

Publishing a book is a fantastic way to establish your authority status and share your voice. Nothing opens more doors for other opportunities like a book.

3. Hold Live Events

Holding live events such as webinars or teleseminars that provide value-laden information to people who want to learn from you is a great way to connect with your audience.

4. Produce a Podcast

An audio podcast allows you to express yourself orally. You may find it easier to express your ideas orally than in writing. To find out how you can produce your own impactful podcast series, check out our Special Report and Training Guide: The Podcasting Power Playbook. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast series: My Biz Dream Team: Opportunity Wednesday Training Series where we share powerful strategies to help you build a business of significance and achieve uncommon results.

5. Create Information Products

Another great way to connect with your audience is to create information products that allow your audience to learn more in-depth information from you. You may want to create an information product online that uses a membership site to deliver written, video, or audio content.

Conclusion/Call to Action

There are many ways to showcase your fabulous authentic voice as you allow it to emerge. You can use your voice to impact the world as you (1) write blog posts; (2) publish a book; (3) hold live events; (4) produce a podcast; and (5) create an information product. These opportunities and others help you become a recognized authority and showcase your authentic voice.

Pamela Montgomery

I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker who helps you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!

Podcast: Be Authentic to Increase Your Authority Status Episode 8:2

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Be Authentic: Don't Be A Fake

Be Authentic: Increase Your Authority Status

The word “authentic” is defined in the dictionary as meaning,” worthy of trust, reliance, or belief.” As an entrepreneur you want be seen as worthy of trust, reliance, or belief. Otherwise, potential clients, customers, or partners will likely not want to work with you. You want to be real. You want to be humble. In this podcast we explain why it is so important to be authentic as you build your authority status. We also give you several tips on how to be authentic and transparent.

Different Types of Authority Figures

There are generally two types of authority figures. The first type may hit it big for a while. They tend to being shooting stars. They have 15 minutes of fame and then it is all over. You never hear from them again.

Then there are other type of authority figures who build their authority status over time. They retain that status over the long term. This type of authority figure is well-respected within their industry. As you build your business you want to be the second type of authority figure. You want longevity. One of the key ways to build longevity, is to be authentic. That means being 100% yourself. You present a consistent face the world.

Be Authentic and Transparent with Potential Clients and Partners

Being authentic means that you connect with your potential clients and partners in a way that is truthful and honest. When you are pretending or being fake, other people can pick up on your awkwardness and discomfort. It is often difficult to maintain a fake persona for too long. Then when people find out how you really are, you quickly lose credibility. All of the goodwill and authority that you have built is gone.

Being transparent means that you are honest about who you are and what you know. If you do not know the answer to a question, then admit it. Don't pretend to have knowledge that you don't. My experience after giving hundreds of speeches, presentations, and court room arguments, is that is best to admit it when you don't know the answer. You have more credibility with the audience. Let them know that you will find the answer for them. Then follow-up.

By being authentic and transparent, you are able to brand your personality. You can embrace what is truly unique about yourself. You can offer your client what no one else can. Don't be a clone or an imitator of what everyone else is doing. There are more benefits and opportunities when you share your real self with your potential clients.

As you present your authentic self to the world, you build your credibility and authority. You increase your status as a recognized expert.

Let us know about your experiences when you have not been truly authentic. What were the consequences?