Listening and Leadership: Why Good Listeners Make Great Project Managers  

Introduction

Project management involves relationships. One of those relationships is between listening and leadership, making listening one of the leadership skills you need to master. While technical skills and strategic vision are essential stafor project success, the ability to listen and learn sets exceptional project managers apart.   

This article focuses on how good listening skills can enhance leadership, why active listening is necessary for effective project management, and how project managers can lead their teams with these techniques.  By understanding the role of listening and leadership, project managers can:   

• Develop better team dynamics  
• Make more informed decisions  
• Achieve greater project success   

The Role of Listening and Leadership in Project Management

Active Listening Definition

According to Collins Dictionary¹, Active listening is defined as:   

"A two-way communication process. To actively listen is not just to hear, but to understand, interpret, and evaluate what they hear."   

To actively listen means to consciously put efforts into understanding, engaging with, and responding to what others are saying.   

Unlike passive hearing, which is perceiving sound, active listening means you are:   

• Interpreting the speaker's words  
• Observing non-verbal cues  
• Providing thoughtful feedback   

For project managers, grasping the nuances of active listening techniques during a conversation, a meeting, or a water cooler conversation could mean dividends for your project. Whether it's getting information on risk, finding a solution to a stuck point, or addressing stakeholder concerns, active listening is the way to go for PMs.   

Importance of Listening Skills in Leadership

Leaders need to do more than just tell people what to do and when to do it, and they need to be more than a "I did it this way, so you should too". Instead, leaders need to listen. Listening allows a leader to connect with their team members and understand their problems and needs.   

For project managers leading their projects, listening skills help them understand project requirements and meet stakeholder expectations.   

Too often, we think communication is predominantly about talking and trying to be the smartest person in the room. But, it is actually a two-way street. Listening is the counterpart to speaking, which leaders and PMs need to learn to do for these projects, relationships, and stakeholder management.   

Benefits of Active Listening Skills for Project Managers

Building Trust and Confidence Through Listening

Cohesive teams communicate with one another. Doing so builds cohesiveness and helps move teams up the Tuckman’s Ladder.   

Project managers who are good listeners can:   

• Develop a strong relationship with their teams  
• Ensure their team feels like they are being heard   
• Develop a sense of respect and appreciation from their team  

Active listening shows the team that the project manager values the team and their input and that they are open to new and innovative ideas.   

Without active listening or the ability to make a team feel they can go to you for input, your project and programmes are at risk. A team that cannot trust its leader will avoid going to them if they know their opinion, and problems will not be addressed without ridicule or pushback.   

Instead, project managers should strive for openness. Openness creates a positive environment where team members feel comfortable sharing details and problems without worrying about upsetting the boss.   

Enhancing Team Morale and Motivation Through Active Listening

Active listening is critical to a project team's morale and motivation. When project managers practice listening skills, team members feel acknowledged and respected. Doing this properly does not only boost morale, but it boosts productivity as well.   

While in the Marine Corps, I took over as the leader of an organisation that had a bad reputation. When I walked in, their morale and motivation were low. After a month of observation, I realised that no one was listening to the team. When I shifted the mindset to listening vs. telling everyone what to do all the time, morale increased, and so did productivity.   

We all want to feel heard, and our teams are no different. They want to contribute and know that their contributions are respected and valued. When morale and motivation increase, there is a strong commitment to the team and the project goals. So, why not start actively listening today?  

Better Decision Making with Effective Listening

Project management needs decision-making, which sometimes needs to happen at the project level. By employing these listening skills, project managers can gather the necessary information from the resident experts to make proper decisions. Listening to advice from different team members and experts allows for a more well-rounded understanding of the project landscape, which in turn allows for more informed and balanced decisions.   

Taking a holistic approach by actively listening to the team can help prevent misunderstandings. It also ensures that every part of the project is considered before making any crucial decisions.   

Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving Through Listening Skills

Conflicts and issues are inevitable during any project. How project teams manage them can significantly impact the project's outcome - this is where these techniques come into play.   

Active listening is a powerful tool when it comes to conflict resolution and solving problems. Project leaders and teams need to listen to each other while discussing root causes and disagreements. A constructive solution can be developed through these discussions with active listening.   

Using this empathetic approach helps project managers find mutually agreeable solutions while fostering a collaborative environment. In turn, tension is reduced as the team comes together, communicates effectively, and actively listens while solving these problems.   

Practical Tips for Developing Active Listening Skills in Project Leadership

Developing active listening skills requires time, conscious effort, and practice.   

Key features for effective active listening are:   

• Making eye contact  
• Engaged body language  
• Nodding in acknowledgement   
• Providing verbal feedback   
• Paraphrasing or summarising what was said  

Common pitfalls in active listening are:   

• Interrupting the speaker  
• Multitasking during conversations  
• Making assumptions before the speaker has finished   

The above actions show that the project manager is engaged and being attentive to whoever they are engaging with. It's also important to avoid distractions (Cell Phones) and focus entirely on the speaker. This ensures the message is received accurately while showing respect to the speaker.   

Project managers should strive to avoid pitfalls and embrace features of active listing. And they can do that through: 

• Being patient  
• Giving their full attention  
• Clarifying any ambiguities  

A Personal Account of Overcoming Active Listening Pitfalls

Being an Office in the Marine Corps means, at some point in your career, you are stuck in an Office. It also meant email and tons of meetings, and things were getting busy. I found myself looking at emails, reviewing documents, and building PowerPoints while Marines were in my office talking to me.  I wasn't putting my full attention into them.  

I tried to justify it through multitasking, but I knew it wasn't right. But each time someone came in, I'd see the email notification pop up, and I'd look over and read the email.  

Knowing something would have to change, I changed my approach. I gave my Marines permission to call me out in the moment. If I shifted my attention, they'd say, "Sir, can I get your full attention?" And eventually, it became easier and easier to shift my mindset into active listening without being called out.   

Conclusion

It's way too easy to get pulled away from a conversation and try to multitask instead of focusing on our team. Active listening is a vital skill for project managers that goes beyond merely hearing words. It involves:   

• Fully engaging and paying attention to the speaker  
• Understanding their message  
• Maintaining engaging body language and engaging facial expressions  
• Responding thoughtfully.  

By practising active listening, project managers can:   

• Build stronger relationships with their teams  
• Enhance morale and motivation  
• Make better decisions  
• Effectively resolve conflicts  

Implementing these techniques requires conscious effort and practice, but the rewards are significant. As project managers, embracing active listening can transform team dynamics, foster a culture of trust, and ultimately lead to greater project success. Start today by committing to listening actively and watching your leadership impact grow. 

Reference:

¹Collins Dictionary. Active Listening.