INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED THAT THEIR PLANTS , IN MANY CASES, EMPLOYED LESS MODERN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES THAN MANY U.S. PLANTS. THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE HAD TO DO WITH THE WAY THEY DEVELOPED THEIR ONLY NATURAL RESOURCE, THEIR PEOPLE.
THE WAY THEY LISTENED AND RESPONDED TO ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WAS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM OUR PRACTICES. ALTHOUGH THE ABILITY TO LISTEN WELL IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MANAGEMENT SKILL, MOST AMERICAN MANAGERS APPLIED THE TECHNIQUE OF LISTENING SELECTIVELY . WE LISTENED TO OTHER MANAGERS AND ENGINEERS, BUT ,WE HAD NOT GIVEN MUCH ATTENTION TO DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS.
AT THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR, ABOUT FORTY MANAGERS, RECEIVED SIXTY HOURS OF INTENSE TRAINING ON EFFECTIVE LISTENING TO ENHANCE OUR ABILITIES TO ENLIST THE PARTICIPATION OF OUR WORKFORCE IN IMPROVING OUR ABILITIES TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF SURVIVING IN A DRASTICALLY CHANGING MARKETPLACE. WE WERE ALSO TRAINED TO PROVIDE THIS TRAINING TO THE OTHER MANAGEMENT PEOPLE AT OUR PLANT LOCATIONS.
WE LEARNED THAT IT IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAIN THE EMPLOYEE'S SELF ESTEEM IN ALL CONVERSATIONS. FOCUSING ON PROBLEMS, RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL HELPS THE PERSON TO NOT FEEL THREATENED AND THEREFORE FREE TO HELP FIND SOLUTIONS TO DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND MORE EFFECTIVELY. LISTENING INTENTLY AND RESPONDING TO WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS FEELING AS WELL AS WHAT HE/SHE IS SAYING SHOWS UNDERSTANDING AND ENCOURAGES THE PERSON TO CONTINUE THE COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS. AS THE IDEAS FLOW IN THE ABSENCE OF THREAT, CRITICISM, OR ADVERSARIAL IMPLICATIONS THERE WILL DEVELOP AN OWNERSHIP THAT NATURALLY DEVELOPS COMMITMENT TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE IDEAS.
ASKING FOR THE EMPLOYEE'S HELP IN IMPLEMENTING HIS/HER IDEAS, IN THIS NON THREATENING ENVIRONMENT, FACILITATES AN ENTHUSIASM FOR FOLLOWING THE IDEAS TO SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSIONS. LEADERSHIP THAT LISTENS ENABLES A PLANT OR COMPANY TO COMPETE EFFECTIVELY AND CREATES A MORE ENJOYABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT. THE INVESTMENT IN THE HUMAN NATURAL RESOURCE BY LISTENING IS SMALL, BUT, THE REWARDS CAN BE AND USUALL Y ARE SIGNIFICANT.
DAN ROBLING©