(Jeff Pruitt, Inc.) – Hiring and firing: no business owner loves doing either. With turnover rates trending at an all-time high, companies are devoting valuable time and resources to constantly reshaping their organizations, being forced to play catch-up by hiring for need over fit. The grass is, statistically, often greener on the other side, and talented employees are looking for opportunities to jump ship, especially if they don’t feel valued at their current gig.
But losing your best people doesn’t have to be an accepted fact of doing business. Of course, it often starts with knowing how to spot great employees from the time they interview, then encouraging their winning traits to grow. In building a great team, what are the traits to look for?
Listening to understand
Of the different forms of communication humans engage in on a daily basis, the one we spend the most time doing is listening. That’s right, company chatterboxes: Listening is communicating, too. But those who’ve mastered the art of listening first to understand, rather than be understood are like golden tickets.
Those who listen to understand tend to grasp assignments better, are great team players, and have a more clear picture of the tasks at hand. Why? Rather than pretending to listen, while thinking of what they are going to say next, they are soaking it in and seeking first to understand.
