The Listening Cycle: Closing the Loop
- Author:
- Word Count: 454
Read the news article
Over the last four weeks, I’ve elaborated on what I call the Closing the Loop. You can find the articles here. This consists of:
- Step 1: Recognizing the Unsaid – Unspoken things in your culture’s organization to recognize that your people aren’t telling their entire truth.
- Step 2: Seeking to Understand – Leaning in to understand someone’s perspective and really hearing them.
- Step 3: Decode – Taking time to reflect, investigate, and then ponder about the feedback you have been given and what to do about it.
- Step 4: Act – Acting upon what you’ve heard, so your people know their voices are powerful and that you will do something about the feedback that is given.
- Step 5: Closing the Loop – Connecting the dots by sharing what you’ve heard and the actions you’re taking.
I think, often, leaders don’t put in the time to truly learn how to listen because it may seem primal. But, the truth is, truly listening is something most leaders don’t know how to do.
Think about it – have you ever had a manager who really listened to you?
In this video, I break down what it means to connect the dots from the very beginning of the process to the very end.
Plus, I tell you about the extremely rewarding results that closing the loop has.
Hint, hint: it makes team members feel valued, heard, and included because they know that their feedback was taken into consideration and actions were taken as a result.
The Listening Cycle: Closing the Loop
I want to challenge you to write down (or think) about a time when:
You felt that your manager truly listened to you
You felt like your voice was not heard
Let’s think about how this made you feel.
Now that you have these two distinct feelings in mind, you will better understand how important completing the five steps in the listening process is.
You wouldn’t want to make someone feel like you did when your voice was not heard, right?
Of course not! So, I encourage you to take the initiative and create a Culture of Listening in your organization.
Heather R Younger is a highly sought-after speaker, 2x-TEDx speaker, diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist, and contributor to leading news outlets. She is also the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm.
After over 25,000 employee engagement surveys and years of working with organizations to transform employee engagement, here’s what Heather has seen over and over:
When you know how to listen, employees will tell you exactly what they need to bring their full selves to work for Closing the Loop.
Contact us at Speakers Inc and view WeSpeak Global
Further articles you may enjoy:
- (8)
Speakers Inc is available to offer you our Global Impact Speakers and Inspiring Motivational keynote speakers to open or close your next leadership and Innovation event or conference. Speakers Inc is a leading Global Impact Speakers Bureau for motivational speakers that delivers keynotes over 300 times per year. Global Impact Speakers is available to bring […]
- January 25, 2023
- (10)
LGBTQ History Month 2024 in the USA is a powerful time of celebration, reflection, and advocacy, honoring the achievements and struggles of the LGBTQ+ community. Held annually in October, it offers an opportunity for individuals and organizations to recognize the progress made in LGBTQ+ rights and visibility, as well as acknowledge the ongoing challenges faced […]
- October 14, 2024
- (13)
Empathy in Action: The Key to Building Stronger Teams In the evolving landscape of leadership, empathy has emerged as a critical superpower for leaders. With the rise of hybrid work models, globally distributed teams, and the need for inclusivity in diverse workplaces, the ability to genuinely understand and connect with others is no longer optional—it’s […]
- November 19, 2024
- (10)
Getting out of sync with a relatively new habit is easy. Getting back into the flow with that new habit is exceptionally hard. Stop Prospecting. Two habits I have started, stopped and restarted several times are daily writing and prospecting. So today, I’m going to write about prospecting… I’m not sure that counts as actual prospecting, […]
- December 18, 2022
- (37)
“Technology is exponential but humans are not and can do great things, but it does not WANT to do great things – it does not want anything” says Apple’s CEO Tim Cook (a quote I have often used in my talks). Technology is a tool not a purpose – see my ‘carpenter and the hammer […]
- January 9, 2023
- (6)
Go ahead and search ‘happy employees lead to successful companies’ and you will be bombarded with consistent uplifting messages about employees and happiness (LinkedIn, Fast Company, Business Insider, Fortune). Just about every content piece promotes employee happiness benefiting organizations at large. That is why, contrary to consistent media, I couldn’t believe that Phil Rosenzweig in The Halo Effect completely disagreed. With the […]
- December 13, 2022
- (76)
In the grand timeline of human experience, we are constantly navigating two forces: the pull of being More Attracted to the Past or the Future? Both shape our identity, decisions, and aspirations, yet they offer distinctly different perspectives on life. The past provides comfort, nostalgia, and a sense of grounding. The future promises excitement, possibility, […]
- December 20, 2024
- (5)
The pandemic may be easing up in many parts of the world, but its effects will forever shape how we live, work and shop so here are 3 Strategies to Reach Post-COVID Customers The past two years have brought unbelievable challenges and changes. Throughout the uncertainty, people have evaluated their priorities and lifestyles. A full 50% […]
- December 13, 2022