In our fast-paced, high-tech world, active listening is becoming a dying art. We present to rooms filled with crackberry toting audiences. Our face-to-face meetings are being interrupted or replaced with texts, tweets and emails. And our multi-tasking culture is leaving us with little opportunity to truly focus on conversations, their nuances and any underlying messages.

I once had a boss who was a really great ACTIVE listener. Her clients loved her because when she showed up, she was totally focused on their needs. She could reference previous conversations because she listened well and took notes. She navigated internal hierarchies with ease because she took the time to understand – whether it was a logistical challenge that the warehouse team voiced or a billing issue from the finance department. She was particularly adept at rephrasing or recapping conversations, putting things into her own word to confirm her understanding of a situation.

I think these types of skills take practice though I am not sure we are getting the practice we need to be better listeners. But it is an essential skill for a leader. Think about good leaders you know and the techniques they use to be active listeners. Then think about how they are perceived by colleagues and clients. My guess is that those folks who are skilled, active listeners are generally perceived as better leaders than those who are not. It’s not rocket science but it does take a certain amount of self awareness and commitment. Try a little experiment: Focus on your active listening skills for one hour each day –whether you are in a large meeting, having an informal discussion or a quick hallway chat. Focus, listen, paraphrase, ask questions. Not only will you notice improvement over time, but you will gain insights that were previously non-existent - and you may actually look forward to those routine project team meetings…maybe.