The 7 Deadly Listening Sins That Every Manager Should Avoid

Listening is a vital skill for any manager to have. This can be attributed to the need to gain practical and applicable knowledge of an issue, be it in a team environment where you will ask other people for advice or simply in an organizational meeting where you have to listen to other people’s perspectives. There are few gifts that are more priceless than the gift of listening with care and attention in return. Listening is not just about how you speak and how much you say. It is also about paying ample attention and being aware when others are speaking. Great managers are the ones who know how to handle the most challenging cases. On the other hand, those with excellent listening skills make sure that no problem goes unanswered. But what about the bad apples? Are there any cases when you should avoid using your listening skills at all costs? For effective management, knowing what to do when things turn sour is essential.

The 7 deadly sins of a bad listening manager

Managers who are poor listeners create a toxic work environment. Their employees feel unheard and unvalued, leading to decreased productivity, job dissatisfaction, and even turnover. There are seven deadly sins of bad listening managers that can ruin an employee’s work experience.

1. Not paying attention

One of the biggest problems a manager can have is not paying attention. Managers are often too busy running the business to pay attention to what their team members say. This can be a big mistake because team members may have some great ideas or suggestions that could help the business grow. When things go wrong, a manager who is not paying attention will not know how to fix the problem. To avoid this mistake, managers should make an effort to listen to their team members and ask them for their input on important decisions. A big part of being a good manager is being a good listener. A manager should be paying full attention to what team members are saying. This means not just listening to them but also watching their body language, eye contact, and facial expressions. When team members feel they’re being heard and that their thoughts and feelings matter, they’re more likely to be productive and engaged in their work. This will help the team feel valued and appreciated. It may also lead to some great ideas being implemented in the business.

2. Interrupting constantly

If you are a manager, there’s a good chance that you sometimes feel the need to interrupt your employees. But before you do, ensure you understand the consequences of constant interruption. As a manager, it’s essential to interact with your team constantly. However, there’s a fine line between being engaged and being over-the-top. You may feel like you need to jump in and offer your two cents all the time, but that can be irritating and demotivating for your team members.  Interrupting your team members or employees all the time can hurt their work. It can lead to a decrease in productivity, an increase in stress levels, and a decrease in job satisfaction. In addition, interrupting employees can also lead to communication breakdowns and decreased team morale. If you feel the need to interrupt your employees, make sure that you do it in a way that is respectful and considerate, and it should especially not be constant.

3. Judging or critiquing what’s being said

People tend to like others who don’t judge them. However, managers should not criticize or offer criticism on everything that the team members say, even if they prove wrong later. If a manager is constantly criticizing people or saying things in a negative way, it will discourage team members from voicing their opinions openly. The anticipation of getting criticized will drive them away from speaking up. It will also cause distraction and stop them from expressing their ideas about what could be done better at work. A good manager will make an effort not to criticize or judge people. There will be times when you, as a manager, need to listen and critique the words being spoken by your employees. It’s not always easy, but it’s an essential skill. When critiquing what’s being said, it’s important to remember that the goal is to help employee improve their communication skills. You don’t need to be harsh or judgemental; just provide feedback to help them become better speakers.

4. Not letting people finish their thoughts

This one is self-explanatory, but it still must be said. When you hold someone’s thoughts hostage and prevent them from finishing in a way they want to express themselves, you are essentially making them feel like they don’t matter or their ideas are not valuable. It might seem like you’re getting your point across more effectively, but in reality, you’re just making the other person feel unheard and disrespected. This can also distract the speaker and lead to losing focus.  As a manager, it’s essential to be patient and let people finish their thoughts. You may be tempted to interrupt or finish their sentences for them, but this can be frustrating for the person you’re talking to. Instead, try to listen patiently and wait for them to finish their thought. This will show that you respect them and that you’re interested in what they have to say. It may also help you to get more information out of them.

5. Not listening for understanding

One of the most common managerial traps is not listening for understanding. Managers who fall into this trap tend to focus more on themselves and their agenda. They often interrupt employees, talk over them, or cut them off. As a result, employees feel unheard and ignored. This can lead to tension and frustration and ultimately decreased productivity. To avoid this trap, managers must consciously listen attentively and with an open mind. This means not just hearing the words being said but also trying to understand the underlying message. They should ask questions and try to understand what employees are saying. Only then can they provide the feedback and direction that employees need. By clearly understanding the conversation of the team members, managers can also help them establish a stronger sense of belonging and commitment.

6. Talking more than listening

Another one of the biggest traps that managers and leaders fall into is talking more than they are listening. Many times, managers speak more than they listen. They think they are in a position of authority, and by talking more, they can get our employees to do what we want. However, this is not the case. When they talk more than listen, their employees feel that they are not interested in them or their ideas. This will make them less likely to come to us with new ideas or problems they face. To be a good manager, it’s essential to be a better listener and to listen more than talk. When we listen, we show interest in our employees and their ideas. You can do this by listening actively, without interrupting or helping them finish their point of view when they have finished. This way, you show that what they say is just as important to you as it is to them.

7. Not remembering what was said

A few different things can go wrong when leading a meeting. One of the most common issues is forgetting what was said. This happens for various reasons: taking too many notes, getting lost in the discussion, or not paying attention. When this happens, it can be challenging to follow up on tasks or to keep track of deadlines. If you are a manager, it is essential to remember what was said in meetings by your employees or others. This way, you can be sure to follow up on what was promised and keep everyone on track. It’s essential to be an active listener and to take good notes. Make sure to pause and paraphrase what was said to ensure you understand. If there are any questions, ask them during the meeting.

The negative outcomes that these sins can cause

There are many negative outcomes of these sins. Some of the prevalent ones include

• Losing some great ideas or suggestions by employees or team members that could help the business grow
• When things go wrong, a manager who is not paying attention will not know how to fix the problem with potential solutions
• It can lead to a decrease in productivity, an increase in stress levels, and a decrease in job satisfaction of your employees
• Committing these sins can also lead to communication breakdowns and decreased team morale
• It will discourage team members from voicing their opinions openly
• Employees will feel like they don’t matter or their ideas are not valuable at all, and they will also feel unheard and disrespected
• This can also lead to tension and frustration
• Employees will feel that managers are not interested in them or their ideas. This will make them less likely to come to us with new ideas or with problems that they are facing
• It can be challenging for managers to follow up on tasks or to keep track of deadlines

All these outcomes prove the deadliness of these sins, as if managers commit them, their management will end up no more than dead. Therefore, it is more than necessary to understand how to avoid these sins.

How to avoid these listening sins

Certain key points can help you to avoid these sins, some of which include:

• Being aware of your thoughts and words at all times
• Make sure that you are listening carefully to what the other person is saying
• Pause regularly so that you can paraphrase what was said to make sure that you understand it properly
• If there are any questions, feel free to ask them during the conversation
• Take good notes of every conversation to have something to refer back to
• Regularly review your notes with the person who talked to you to make sure that everything is clear
• Be polite, respectful, and understanding

There are many more tips and skills that managers can use to avoid these sins and become great listeners.

Conclusion

Listening is an important skill to have as a manager. As managers, we are constantly looking for information that will help us improve our teams and get better at what we do. To effectively manage people, we must be able to listen well. Managers can create a better, more engaged, and enjoyable work environment if they listen well. We believe that if the managers can avoid all the 7 deadly sins by following the given fundamental points, there won’t be any way left to consider them bad listeners. They can also prevent all the listed adverse outcomes by committing these sins.