Page 17 - Leading and managing people in the new normal

2.5 Tips for supporting employees: listening and Key points

building trust • Be aware of your own experiences and

frame of mind and how that impacts your
It is easy to dismiss other people’s responses to change or crisis if their experiences are different to our own. decisions and actions.
By spending understanding to your team’s experiences, hopes, concerns or challenges you will build an • Listen with intent—the more you hear and
atmosphere of openness and trust—critical ingredients for a healthy, thriving team.
TIPS understand the better you will be at building
trust.

1 Check yourself: how are you feeling? What has been your experience so far? • Seek feedback and • Caring unlocks human connection—find

Firstly, you need to be aware of your own experiences, reactions and feelings support from your ways to show your employees that you care
towards work, COVID-19, your team and colleagues. How is this shaping your views own supervisor or about their experiences.
and decision making? Are the decisions you are making helping build trust in your colleagues
team and demonstrating support? If not, why not? Do you know how to support • Be prepared for every
your team? possibility Further resources

2 Listen to your team • Listen first • Read The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R.

Listening can be a very difficult thing to do especially when we don’t relate or agree • Look for emotional cues Covey
with the person communicating. It requires reading emotional cues such as types of for deeper • Listen to John Maxwell’s podcast series on
words being used, tone or facial expressions. For many leaders, leading with understanding of what is
empathy and flexibility is not the norm, so they will need to develop this skill over earning trust
time.Empathy and compassion contributes to a positive rapport which helps build going
a strong relationship and good foundation for leading and managing your team. • Seek first to understand, On breaking out of the cycle of distrust
then to be understood. ‘You listen ​first. You demonstrate respect for
what you hear. You clarify expectations, and
3 Building trust and rapport you focus on and agree upon a mutual process

As stated above, listening actively with intent and compassion builds rapport with • Be respectful, truthful, for accountability to those expectations. That
your team. Showing care and respect for your team members unlocks human authentic and includes giving the why behind the what, in
connection and builds trust in your work relationships. A good way of doing this is transparent in your other words, declaring your intent.’
being mindful of your own unconscious biases and assumptions about your team. Stephen MR Covey
Transparency, being consistent in your behaviour and keeping your commitments dealings with others The Speed of Trust
is key to establishing relationships based on trust. • Keep your commitments

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