Effective listening can transform an organization’s performance. Mastering the skill is an art that must be attained through application of various tools to create a lasting and beneficial change in an organization. Being an active listener calls for the application of the golden rule; treat other as you would like to be treated i.e. listen to others how you would like them to listen to you. The tools to apply include maintaining eye contact to create comfortable atmosphere for the customer to communicate effectively and trust that you can satisfy the customer’s need adequately. In addition, maintaining correct an appropriate body posture is significant. Avoid physical and mental distraction such as switching the TV or thinking about another issue in the middle of the discussion. Accord the attention fully to the clients through listening by having & showing an open mind hence, focusing solely on the speaker through self engagement. Use of appropriate facial expressions and tonation such as vocal codes such as umm-mm, nodding, raised eyebrows and questions like “really” indicate positive listening and genuine interest.
Consequently, to maximize the utility of the information gained through listening it is important to master the body language of the interlocutors resulting to efficient usage of information. An active listener can become more efficient by mastering the body language of their interlocutors. This requires the listener to carefully examine the speaker body movements, their emotions, facial expressions as well as their gesture. Another method of becoming an active listener is by becoming empathetic with the speaker. This entails putting one self in the position of the speaker and suspending any positive or negative judgments. Regardless, the listener must avoid anticipating the thoughts of the speaker or intuiting what will be said next.
In order to address problem and challenges of healthy and safety among worker on site, management should ascertain the probable causes of the problems. In situations that management has failed to implement proper safety measures such as lack of WHS plan leading to poor safety and Health of the workers on construction site. Ways and methods to remedy the circumstances should be structured in to the system to provide safety to workers on site, thus creating an improved environment. In addition, before commencement of work, workplace health and safety plan should be formulated. The plans will improve the condition by providing a clear demonstration of the requirements of the WHS such as workplace practices, procedures for the projects and safety management in the projects. The opportunities presented an opportunity to improve the workplace safety and health condition. Moreover, they should create an atmosphere and incorporate procedures that allow work at site to run smoothly in accordance to the WHS Acts and regulations. For instance, purchase of helmets and protective clothing for workers at the construction sites. On the other hand, detecting other cases of problem on work site apart from failure of management efficiency, use of the Hot wash up technique can be implemented. These is because, some accidents on construction site are due to the negligence of the workers on site. Research show that seventy percent of accidents on site are as a result of the worker negligence behavior and not management failure. Management meeting with worker on site some times highlights some of the causes of accidents on work site. . On the question of what went well? The procedures for owning and discovering the root cause of the problem. Assessment of the meeting effectiveness can also be measured by interacting with worker to ensure understanding and obtain relevant information on accidents and possible ways of preventing accidents in the future. It also creates a positive attitude towards management since the workers know and are assured that management care and are devoted to their safety on site. Finally, the manager should apologize on the part they have neglected their responsibility.
Level four aims to eliminate unnecessary ideals and deals at the organization level. That which is unnecessary is determined and eliminated according for the benefit of the organization. Hence, the first question should be, “what are we doing that is dump?” The organization “dampness” can be shown by the complex rules and procedures employees undertake before solving an issue. Further, in regard to ‘what could we stop doing that no one would notice; the organization can replace the massive employee supervision and control with no loss. Level 7: Doing Things That Can’t Be Done. One challenging assumption that many people face is the assumption that leadership / listening is an inborn trait. Another impossible instant can be demonstrated by a company facing critical financial crisis with no hope of succeeding. If such a financial crisis is solved, it would reverse the way the company conducts businesses. Another impossible situation is a situation of deadlock between an employer and striking employees.
Copying and emulating successive organizations can also be done in level five, hence copying. The question on “how can we do this here” can be demonstrated by an organization that would like to reverse its image among the public by copying the positive images of performing organizations. One answer to image branding is through image positioning. The key goal of position is to form a different, distinguishable place in the potential customers’ minds. This strategy of positioning is a sub branch of communication. Another tactic will be to use market segmentation. The second question on, “what will we have to do to make it work for us?” can be answered as follows, each target market must be selected before enticing them. This can be done by categorizing the customers as either local or international and even segmenting them according to different geographical location that they originate from or according to the different prize ranges. Secondly, to be successful, image branding must give a promise to fulfill the customers’ needs and or wants. The marketing strategy will aim to create a need and then offer a solution to the consumers. Overall, the marketers must identify the consumers’ perception, the marketplace, and the competition.
Introduction of unique and distinguished ideas and approaches help an organization perform better. Ways and methods of attaining such mechanisms should be sought. Hence, Level 6: Doing Things No One Else Is Doing. The main question in this level is “How do you get Level 6 ideas?” rephrased as, how does an organization get ideas of approaching things differently. The first step to get ideas of being different will be to think differently. It differs from copying because while copying involves the direct importation, doing things differently calls for getting out of the box and using a different perspective to solve problem. A second approach to being different is through creativity and innovation. A third approach which can be applied is the application of things in a completely different field with a completely different manner. A good demonstration of this can be an organization that constantly faces conflict. While every organization might be solving the problem through employee probation and firing, the organization can choose to apply a model from a completely different field to resolve its conflict. Such an organization can apply the model below to resolve conflict between its employees.
Finally, in level 7 amicable ways should be applied in solving conflicts within and without an organization. Compromise, collaboration and integration, accommodating of others and lack of confrontational attitude mechanisms can be initiated effectively in respective situations to solve conflicts.
