In the world of education, we frequently discuss the importance of feedback to the learning process, but no one is immune to how vital feedback is in all areas of life, whether communicating with someone we love, acquiring a fresh skill, or mastering a new sport. Often that feedback is interpreted into some form of data that can be used to measure success, and numerous examples abound. The discipline of education is masterful at using test scores, athletics employs a scoreboard, and businesses apply monetary figures to measure achievement. As a fierce proponent of data-driven decision-making and a lover of statistics, I can enthusiastically embrace numbers on a spreadsheet to guide an organization; however, how do we evaluate a person or organization’s success when numerical figures fail to provide an explanation of the overall picture?
In a recent conversation with a friend and fellow educator, I was reminded that great teachers have a sense of their students and what is occurring in their classroom, a Habit of Awareness (for application to this blog), that often defies even their own ability to articulate how it works. Rather than pulling standardized approaches out of a bag of tricks, great teachers have a presence in their classrooms that has emerged out of floundering and failing combined with a skill set of listening and keen observation. Great teachers, whether in a formal educational setting or a garage workshop, utilize what they see and hear to offer instruction and guidance. Just picture the facial expression of a learner when they experience an aha moment!
One of the most interesting methods I have read about recently, on the importance of gathering feedback, was shared in Henry Cloud’s The Power of the Other called the Listening Tour, which he describes as “structured, intentional interactions or touchpoints with employees meant to identify the sources of negative energy [Energy Vampires] that may be affecting an individual’s, a team’s, or the company’s performance. I encourage the leader to listen and work through topics that have become a drain to employees…listening-brings positive energy to the group and can begin to transform it.”
What if all leaders would make a choice to conduct a Listening Tour in their organizations? Combine the feedback from a Listening Tour with the personal advancement of a Listening Life and the skill development of Humble Inquiry and watch the organization, and the people within, flourish! Yes, it is asking for a significant investment in time and effort, but is that not what God has called us to do? To love others by investing in the relationships around us, both for the current generation and those to come?
If you have knowledge of this concept called a Listening Tour and examples of how this methodology has been implemented in any type of organization, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.
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Flourishing @ Life 