book.chapter Listen

Effective listening has become rare in the modern business world. Everywhere you look, people listen too little and talk too much. You can often tell when someone is not actually listening because they simply say "I hear you" while clearly not absorbing anything said to them. The best approach for listening in a business setting is taking thorough notes. Due to his dyslexia, Richard Branson has always kept detailed written records of every conversation and any ideas that come to him. This allows him not just to listen better, but to later reference commitments made and hold others accountable. Many of history's greatest leaders were known for their willingness to intently listen to others, whether it was former US President Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, Ireland's first female president, or Winston Churchill. People meeting the legendary Nelson Mandela often came away deeply impressed by his ability to make them feel like the most important person in the room through his exceptionally focused listening. As Mark Twain once wisely said, "There is nothing so annoying as having two people talking when you're busy interrupting." In addition to carefully documenting every discussion, Branson employs one other technique to improve his listening abilities - he keeps no personal office. Instead, he operates out of a home office, or, even better, goes directly to visit with people in their own offices. This removes any intimidating pressure of being "summoned to meet with the CEO" and facilitates more open, flowing conversation. As Branson puts it, "The simple fact is that nobody has ever learned anything by listening to themselves speak." He advises getting "extra ears strapped on" and literally going out to listen first-hand to people's anxieties and excitements about the company. When customers complain, the Virgin approach is to view such feedback as invaluable rather than an irritation. Customer input, whether positive or negative, provides an honest external perspective to be highly valued and acted upon. In Virgin Atlantic's early days, Branson himself used to make a habit of cold calling picked up passengers to get unfiltered opinions on their experiences and where improvements could be made. As he says, "I have always found it to be one of the idiosyncrasies of the human condition that a problem that is handled quickly and effectively will almost always serve to generate more long-term customer loyalty than when the original service was delivered satisfactorily." The mantra of "first to know, first to handle" applies here - if an issue can be resolved promptly, it saves frustration for the customer and time and money for the company. The more an organization listens to those utilizing its products and services, the more intelligent and informed its decision making will become. This does necessitate actually listening rather than just paying lip service to the concept. When it comes to speaking, simplicity and brevity are key. Complex, jargon-laden business language should give way to clear communication everyone can easily grasp. Richard Branson's dyslexia leads him to prefer short, straightforward Q&A sessions to long speeches when engaging an audience. As historical figures like Winston Churchill and Colin Powell knew, leaders able to cut through arguments and doubts to offer concise solutions have a great advantage. When speaking, certain verbal crutches should also be avoided, as they add no informational value. "Umm," "like," "you know," throat clearing, and other filler sounds can easily be eliminated with awareness. Phrases such as "that's not a bad idea" or "you're not going to like this, but..." subtly undermine the speaker's intended message through confusion or doubt. Ambiguous statements like "that's certainly different" should give way to clear, direct language instead. Sugarcoating language should also be minimized - "we've had better years" still conveys the meaning that current results are disappointing. Open-ended deferrals like "Let me get back to you on that" should only be used if actually following up is feasible. The ubiquitous corporate phrase "that said" serves no purpose other than to invalidate everything else just uttered. Declarations of "no comment" make speakers sound evasive rather than transparent. A better response is "I'm really sorry, but until we gather all the facts we are not in any position to issue a statement." Even a small word like "okay" can confuse through sheer ambiguity. The ideal is to speak to others as you would have them speak to you - directly, forthrightly, and without excessive complexity. Sprinkle in some inclusive language such as "I'm not sure – what do you think?" to foster engaging, illuminating discussions. The commonly used maxim "Keep it simple, stupid" has morphed into the more polite and concise "Keep it simple and keep it short" - KISS-S. Adhering tightly to this principle helps ensure efficient, effective communication and understanding. While elaborate mission statements are still fashionable in the corporate sphere, they often have little impact on day-to-day operations. Enron's statement touting "Respect, Integrity, Communication and Excellence" proved tragically ironic given how events transpired. A pharmaceutical company's proclamation about "innovative medicines that help patients" says nothing distinctive. Yahoo's verbose slogan about "indispensable experiences, and fueled by trust" sounds nice but communicates little substance. Rather than generic, lofty verbiage, the Virgin Group prefers succinct mission statements that also function as straightforward business plans. For example, Virgin Active's statement presents a clear brand identity and ethos that employees can connect with and live up to daily, not just words in a forgotten document. It evolves over time to keep pace with changing needs. Supplementary lists of "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots" translate high-level mission plans into everyday workplace principles. As Branson notes, adopting something like the faux Latin phrase "Screw it, Let's Do It" would perfectly capture the essence of the Virgin brand in a pithy, memorable and action-oriented motto.