"It is true what people say: most people aren't listening; they are just waiting for their turn to speak. Really listening to an employee is key to establishing trust and building an open relationship. Sometimes that means remaining quiet and focused while they speak to you. Other times, you 'listen' by carefully reading each line of an email an employee has sent. Either way, giving the employee your complete attention is beneficial in multiple ways. By maintaining eye contact while they speak and repeating their statements back to them to confirm you've understood, you show the employee you respect them and that they are important. You learn what they are directly asking about, and you also gain insight into their emotions based on their tone of voice, word choice, and body language. Additionally, an employee who feels heard and respected will often open up and share additional details they may have otherwise not brought up."

Explain why it is important to truly listen to employees. Talk about the types of information you listen for when communicating with an employee.