Let's Talk: Helping Leaders ACTUALLY Listen w/Stephen Shedletzky

The Speak Up Culture: Why Leaders Should Listen Down If They Want Their People to Step Up

We've all heard someone in charge–a boss, coach, or parent–announce, "listen up!" While this can be appropriate, it is a command.

What Stephen Shedletzky has found is that leaders truly listen down.

Leaders actively create an open environment that encourages people to speak up to share their best ideas, concerns, and even dissent. When their people dare have the courage to speak up, leaders do not ignore or punish them. They respond by listening to them, acknowledging and rewarding them.

Too many cultures directly or indirectly punish people for speaking up. This breaks bonds of trust and squashes discretionary effort, engagement, and innovation.  Instead, leaders cultivate environments where people feel safe to share how they think and what is true to them, especially if that truth is hard. This is important, now more…