Hello? Can anyone hear me? Loyal Leaders, are you there? 

Just a little humor for this month’s topic. I’m Captain Fletch, and as always, I am excited to join you for another edition of the Leadership Toolbox. 

Last month, I shared how coaching baseball has completely changed me as a leader, both personally and professionally. This month, I would like to examine another topic that can easily be overlooked: listening. Much like turning the key in your truck, everyone just assumes they listen because they read or hear the words of others. But is this really listening?  

What is Listening?  

The discussion surrounding listening has actually been discussed extensively. There are entire books written on communication which include active listening and how to do it properly. But I am looking beyond the professional application of the skill. 

I recently finished the draft of a fiction story I am working to publish in the coming months. In one particular part of the story, the main character uses music to demonstrate to his troops the importance of not only listening to music but also connecting to others, particularly those who are different from us. 

Captain “Flip” Fraser proceeds to play a song by Tupac Shakur and explains how he connects with the words of another human being who had a very different life and journey than himself. To clarify, the main character of this novel is inspired by my own journey. I have always been a person that has enjoyed a broad ranging taste in music, television, literature, and movie genres. 

I see these forms of expression as a way to genuinely hear another human being with something to say and try to comprehend and find common ground with that person. Flip Fraser goes on to point out that many people labeled Tupac’s music as violent and offensive, but he chose to see beyond the surface level and appreciate Tupac as a human being with something to share. 

He concludes by saying that while their stories are vastly different, they are both human beings with their own tragedies and triumphs. It is a choice to either be critical of what makes us different or celebrate what makes us similar.  

When I was a kid, I remember being taught to think this way in school and my community. We learned about all sorts of different cultures and things and that although we would grow up to have different views, it was essential to hear and acknowledge others. This does not mean we always agree, but it means we can have genuine connections to others and find common ground versus always posturing defensively. It seems our culture is in a climate where we are always postured defensively, which is sad because I miss the days when artists like comedians helped drive this idea of finding common ground amidst the divisiveness home.  

Why is Listening Important as Leaders? 

This question seemingly answers itself, but it goes beyond the typical reasoning for the importance of leaders who listen well. As a baseball coach, I often let my players put music on our sound system during baseball practice. If I am throwing batting practice, they are forced to deal with my playlist because my musical selections help me get into a pitching rhythm. But, if others are pitching or we are using the machine, I let the players choose the music. 

They are required to play clean versions of songs because we do have standards on our team. I do this for two reasons. One is because the simple gesture allows the players to feel they have control of something when it comes to our practices. But, more importantly, because it allows me to listen to their culture. 

Just by simply listening to their music, I learn about what they like and what’s important to them. I learn about who they are by their song choices. They rather enjoy it when they catch me tapping along to their music and ask them for the song title to add to my library. 

I know other coaches that also play music but they always have control of the playlist. I find that my players, whether they know it or not, realize I seek to listen to them and understand who they are beyond a name on my lineup card. To me, the choice was easy to “give up the aux” as they say nowadays.  

Bringing it Home

I am not saying to be a great leader and understand younger generations of people you have to toss your musical playlist out the window. I am simply suggesting that it is worth trying to get outside of your comfort zone and listen to your people, and not necessarily what they are telling you with words. 

Another great example is if someone on your team comes in raving about a film they saw, or a book they read. They aren’t telling you something directly related to operations, but perhaps they are telling you something about themselves. What is the harm in giving that film or book a try? 

It may not be your cup of tea, but checking it out with an open mind and reporting back to that person that you at least gave it a shot and having some sort of opinion on it could really impact that person. Maybe you say “While it really isn’t my kind of story, I really connected with this part of it,” or “I can see why you enjoyed this, and I was happy to learn something about you.” From this perspective, listening takes a whole new meaning by paying attention to these subtle cues.  

Maybe Tupac is not your preferred style of music. I admit I primarily listen to country and classic rock. But my playlist has songs from all genres that have really touched me as a person. Every now and then I even catch myself in the mood for upbeat 80s songs even though I am from the 90s. After all, we were a grungy bunch in the 90s. 

I guess what I am getting at is that these parts of our culture are important to listen to just as much as people talking directly to us. Perhaps turning that radio dial to a different channel, checking out a film not on your radar, or picking up a book in the break room could be the difference between a good and average listener. 

You might find it to be the tool in your box that is beneficial both to you personally as a leader by changing your perspective on things and it may earn you a newfound respect from your team. Until next time, Captain Fletch over and out.  

P.S. If you were wondering if you read correctly, the answer is yes, I am working to publish a fiction novel. It is a dystopian story centered around two RED HORSE engineers in the future who are tasked to physically rebuild a broken-down society. But they find themselves drawn to rebuild much more than buildings and roads, and it becomes a tale of how the skills and abilities of people in construction go beyond hammers and nails.  

Fletch’s Favorites 

“Dear Mama” by Tupac Shakur

This song is actually one of my wife’s favorites. I really enjoy hearing about Tupac’s complex relationship with his mother. I think most of us can agree we have complex relationships with our own mothers. 

Although our experiences are different, I have a mom just like he did, and we have our ups and downs too, but I’ll always love and appreciate her.