I have mentioned Kevin Eikenberry in other postings. He is truly one of my favorite mentors when it comes to leadership. I have spent a considerable amount of time reading about the power of influence and how to influence others to accomplish our Esperanza goals. Therefore, when a recent article from Kevin was titled
To Listen is to Influence it caught my attention.
Kevin included in his article a Chinese proverb:
To listen well is as powerful a means to influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversations. Therefore, it would behoove all of us to think about the strategies we can employ to sharpen our listening skills.
Teachers who listen better to their students and their students' families will gain invaluable insights and thus, be better teachers. Esperanza administrators who listen to students, families, teachers/staff, and community members and respond accordingly will be more effective adminstrators. Esperanza Board members who listen to each other and to the school's administrators will be in a better position to meet the needs of the school to better serve the students.
It is amazing how valued a good listener is--probably because it is such a rare commodity. It is our desire to make being a good listener part of Esperanza's school culture.
