One of the most powerful statements that has resonated with me over the years is a quote from Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Covey stated that “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Oh, how right he was! 

How often, when you are in a discussion, are you listening for a chance to respond to a comment or question rather than trying to understand exactly what the person is communicating? Probably more than you recognize or care to admit.

Ways to Listen

Unfortunately, this listening mode is common. We are preparing our response even before the question or comment is completed.

There are many ways to listen, and some don’t even involve your ears. Listening is a form of communication, and, as such, it can vary from person to person. 

Our body language tells the speaker if we are engaged in what they are saying. Are we giving them the attention they deserve, or just going through the motions? 

What are our eyes saying? Do they show a genuine interest in that person and what they are talking about? Do they exhibit empathy for the person? 

When you are talking with someone who is passionate about a subject, you can see their commitment. The same goes for you. As an engaged listener, you will demonstrate how intently you are listening with your body posture, eye contact and genuine interest in the discussion.

Being A Leader

You may be asking yourself, what does this have to do with being a safety leader? Well, just about everything. As a leader, you are the example of what it takes to achieve personal and company goals while protecting the company’s most valuable asset—the employees. 

The safety leader’s job is not to enforce rules and standards, but to emulate getting the job done safely and efficiently. We also lead the workforce in communication and accepting others’ opinions and suggestions on work practices. 

Engaged, active listening also lets you see employees’ capabilities and potentials. Do they challenge you with questions to explain your rationale for doing something in a particular way while explaining their reasoning? Do they present alternative methods to work practices that will improve the job? Unless you are listening to understand—rather than interjecting or responding—you will never know. 

Leadership Practices

Being the face of the company is a challenging role, but it can be easier if we use leadership practices that engage our workers through open communication and the ability to work collaboratively to get the job done efficiently and safely. It starts with your approach to interactions with your crews. 

I have written before about the three things I use to explain projects that play into the approach mentioned here: 

1. Explain what the job is. 
2. Discuss why the job needs to be completed.
3. Discuss how we’re going to accomplish the task together, pointing out the recognized and potential hazards.

This discussion creates an environment that fosters a team approach to task performance while engaging the workers in the decision-making process, enabling greater buy-in to task performance. It also meets a compliance requirement of conducting a proper job briefing.

Being a good listener gives a leader many opportunities to understand the workforce better while demonstrating that leadership is more than just a command and control approach. It’s about working together as a cohesive team to achieve a goal safely and efficiently in a timely and cost-­effective manner. 

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