Bare Attention

"One of the most important qualities of a leader is listening without judgment, or with what some call bare attention... I find that when I can be truly present with impartial, open awareness, I get a much better feel for the players' concerns than when I try to impose my own agenda. And, paradoxically, when I back off and just listen, I get much better results on the court." -- Phil Jackson

This week during a management case study at work, we did a little exercise of giving feedback to an under performing employee. The previously well-performing employee has slumped recently, resorting to gossiping and lagging productivity. The old "sandwich" approach applied:

1. Say something good
2. State the problem
3. Say something good

In my younger days, I'd have stuck with the formula. But that didn't seem to cut the mustard by itself. The next words out of my mouth were "is there something about the job or our relationship that's changed and is causing this"? Turns out a recent change in responsibilities left him feeling under appreciated due to his newness. Backing off and listening impartially can make a difference.