Learning the Practice of Transformative Listening

Listening as a leader is the hardest of practices. While we may intend to listen and even think we are listening, too many distractions keep us from just simply hearing the other person in the room. The anticipation and emotion of the moment of message delivery can interfere with our receiving what they are saying. Leaders might feel naturally defensive, exposed, embarrassed, frustrated, exasperated, angry, even shamed, particularly in front of colleagues. Moreover, academics are trained as experts and are used to being authorities on matters of their field. Often, they focus too much on their own response. Academic leaders take on new positions with little administrative experience or training and immediately find themselves in the middle of contested situations with peers now looking to them to provide answers. Particularly in the heat of the moment, it can be difficult to remember to de-escalate, maintain self-control, revert to a listening posture, slowing down to process, a focus on values, the quality of the questions, and the pause rather than the rush to answers.