Communicate or Die: Leading Through Listening

Imagine a company with seven reporting levels. If the people at every level report 50 percent of what they know up to the next higher level— and 50 percent is a rather optimistic number—the leader at the top will know less than 2 percent of what is actually going on. If control resides solely at the top, the consequences of being that out of touch can be disastrous for decision-making. Imagine what happens if the leader happens to base his or her decisions on the 98-plus percent of wrong information. In today’s complex and fast- changing organizations, chief executives depend on vital strategic information from others, both within the organization and from outside it. Listening is a crucial vehicle for get- ting that strategic intelligence.
Yet listening is an undervalued commodity. One chief executive, reminded of the importance of two-way communication, snapped: “Of course I use two-way communication! I talk to my people, and I write to my people!”
Often leaders have a great vision, but cannot communicate it effectively, inspire their people, or turn their vision into results. Just as often, an organization’s staff has insight and information that never makes its way to the top. The difference between a good company and a great one may lie in their ability to communicate. Through fascinating stories and interactive processes, Dr. Zweifel tells often hilarious stories of failed communication and provides tools and techniques for how to cut out wasteful communication and how to listen effectively—perhaps the smartest investment in productivity. Climb the Matterhorn of Masterful Listening(tm) and boost your performance by virtue of how you listen.

Avoid communication disasters of companies like Bridgestone, AOL, Intel, and Liz Claiborne.
Become a masterful communicator who generates the reality of your choice through language.
"Communicate or Die" gives you practical tools for how you can impact your people's performance simply by how you listen.
Climb the Matterhorn of Masterful Listening–assess, develop and sustain the Seven Levels of Listening to produce results effortlessly and with your ears alone.
Harness the power of your listening to shape reality–your own and that of the people around you.

CEOs and senior executives who need to get market intelligence to the top of the organization. HR executives who want to boost the leadership of their colleagues or internal clients. Managers who need to pull for the best in their people.

Distinguish 8 levels of listening, from ignoring all the way to mastery. Recognize and decode filters that shape how collaborators, clients and the world show up. Listen for subtexts, read between the lines and take control of the deeper hidden message.

"Communicate or Die: Getting Results Through Speaking and Listening"

		Thomas Zweifel, Ph.D. Insigniam View Profile