Leadership Today - Practical Tips For Leaders
Business:Management
Extraverts are seen to not listen as well - what can they do about that?
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to episode 146 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we explore how extraverts are seen to not listen as well, and what they can do about that.
Extraverted individuals are often seen as more comfortable and confident in social situations. This might appear to set extraverts up for success at work and in leadership, but a recent study suggests there may be a downside.
Researchers, Flynn, Collings and Zlatev studied 147 business students who needed to meet each week working in groups of six on developing their leadership skills. These students rated each other on listening skills. These listening skills included things like appearing to listen when others spoke, and remembering what others had shared. They also completed a measure of extraversion.
The researchers found that extraverts were consistently rated lower on listening skills. Participants also saw extraverts as more likely to modify their approach in an attempt to shape how they were seen by others. When this impression management is obvious to others, it can impact the ability to build trust and connections. Now, this is all based on people’s impressions of extraverts - maybe they aren’t any better or worse than others at listening. But perceptions are reality in the eyes of the beholder, so it does suggest extraverts may need to modify their approach to avoid these pitfalls.
So, if you are more extraverted, what can you do about this?
Number one is pretty simple - listen. Listening is a skill grounded in genuine interest. If you’re not interested in others, it will show.
Ask open questions - be curious about what the person is sharing, listen with interest, and restate what you’re hearing.
Remember important details - it’s so powerful when someone remembers your name or other personal information.
Give people time to open up. While you might be comfortable sharing with others, it might take them more time to warm to you.
Extraversion, like other personality traits, comes with advantages and risks to be managed. If you’re more extraverted, make sure you demonstrate your listening to others.
REFERENCE
Flynn FJ, Collins H, Zlatev J. Are You Listening to Me? The Negative Link Between Extraversion and Perceived Listening. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. March 2022. doi:10.1177/01461672211072815
Midweek Motivate - Close Relationships Boost Self-Esteem, and Self-Esteem Boosts Relationships
Episode 57 - Nine Ways to Rid Yourself of Impostor Syndrome
Bonus Replay - Optimism and Resilience
Bonus Replay - Leadership First Impressions
Midweek Motivate - Making the First Day Great
Episode 56 - Entrance Interviews Beat Exit Interviews
Midweek Motivate - Doing Less With Less, But More of the Right Things
Episode 55 - Why Exit Interviews Often Stink and Seven Things To Do About It
Midweek Motivate - Insert A Gap
Episode 54 - Five Tips To Level Up Your Listening
Midweek Motivate - Looper
Episode 53 - The Ten Best Podcasts for Leaders in 2019
Midweek Motivate - Removing Frustrations
Episode 52 - Faking Extraversion Boosts Well-Being - What’s All That About?
Episode 51 - Confidence in Action
Episode 50 - Seven Reasons to Get Back to Nature
Episode 49 - Accurate Self-Assessment
Episode 48 - Four Ways to Explore Your Untapped Potential
Episode 47 - Five Ways Busy Leaders Prioritise Treating People Well
Episode 46 - Saying 'No' Without Being a Jerk
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The emPOWERed Half Hour
HCI Leadership Revolution
Human Capital Leadership
The Power of Music Thinking
BusinessWISE
Business Wars