The Power of Listening

Review a list of job postings on Monster or Indeed and you will notice that having “excellent communication skills” is a requirement for almost every open position. But when it comes to evaluating communication skills, most people only think about half the problem – what an applicant says and how they say it. Few people consider the importance of the other half of successful communication – the applicant’s ability to listen.

Employers should spend less time measuring prospective employees on their written and spoken word and more time determining the prospect’s ability to actively pay attention, to stay engaged, and to interpret the information they receive from someone else. Polished speaking skills tend to be required for anyone wishing to climb the corporate ladder, but who considers the value of perfectly honed listening skills?

Few businesses run successfully in a vacuum, dependent only on the skills and intellect of a single person, with no input from others. Rather, business success depends on the effective collaborative efforts of teams working together towards a common goal. Leaders need to be able to effectively articulate the vision but they must also be able to listen to front line workers seeking to connect that vision with their day to day roles and responsibilities.

Managers need to be able to inspire and motivate their teams, but also need to be able to gather input from warehouse workers, sales teams, and even customers and suppliers. Leaders at every level must be able to process large amounts of information and share pertinent information with others in the organization who need it. Front line workers need to be able to understand and interpret instructions related to safety and quality standards in order to deliver the desired quality of goods and services demanded by their customers.

Many accountants have been trained to be problem solvers for their clients – which makes sense when it comes to applying technical concepts like tax regulations and financial statement standards. But when it comes to working with companies and the people who make them successful, it is time for us to change roles. We believe it is one of our strengths not to have all of the answers, but to ask different questions. Our clients across myriad industries know their businesses better than we do.

At KRD, we are trained to not to rush to solutions, but to look at information from a different perspective and to pose questions about the data we review. By listening to owners, managers and employees and the answers they provide, we are able to capture new insights, suggest different technology solutions, or design new reports that support team members in making better decisions. We help teams hone their listening skills at every level of the organization so individuals can align their actions in service to their customers and in support of financial goals.

In a world full of technology that beeps, buzzes, flashes and constantly distracts us, maybe the rarest gift we can offer each other is our full attention.

Categories

Newsletter signup

Receive our informative Newsletters with valuable tax, financial and business operations information.

Archives

News

Read the latest news
from KRD and find out more.

KRD, Ltd. Wins ClearlyRated’s 2024 Best of Accounting Award for Service Excellence
Key Considerations for Non-Profit 403(B) Plans in the Secure Act 2.0 Era
Federal Court Rules Law Mandating Reporting of ‘Beneficial Owner Information’ Unconstitutional

Request a callback

Would you like to speak to one of our financial advisors over the phone? Just submit your details and we’ll be in touch shortly. You can also email us if you prefer.

    I would like to discuss: