CHAPTER10The Energetic Discussion:Less Talking and More Listening

A person who is truly understanding, who takes the trouble to listen to us as we consider our problem, can change our whole outlook on the world.

—George Elton MayoHarvard Business School, 1926–1947

Sometimes your presentation can go so well that the executives are completely engaged. They are totally with you. Ideas are flying around. They are building on each other’s suggestions. We call this the “Energetic Discussion.” Your challenge is to listen well and not to miss anything.

Since most books on management and leadership stress the importance of listening, mid-level managers who attend our training sessions often believe they do it well. Not true. They are amazed at how poorly ...

Get Speaking Up now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.