151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making

147Be More Than a Good Listener

Though it’s highly underrated in our American culture, listening is the most powerful tool of leadership—and it is absolutely necessary at all stages of the delegation process. But it is particularly important in your efforts to encourage your staff.

Few people would turn away a chance to have the boss truly listen to their ideas and concerns. After all, it’s a chance to be understood by the very person that determines their livelihood—and all people, in even the smallest things, want to be understood.

But the type of listening that makes delegation successful goes beyond the traditional steps of hearing, asking questions for clarity, affirming what you’ve heard, and then responding. To successfully delegate, you ...