Manila, 4 December 2019 — To be a high achiever, learn from leaders in high places.

Big Ears

It happened this week when Jean-Claude Juncker handed over the presidency of the European Commission to his successor Ursula von der Leyen.

In his acknowledgments and well-wishes to her, something that Juncker said stood out.

He wished her Big Ears. A necessity for doing the job well, he explained.

Some other leaders know that too.

A few days ago, I watched an episode of The Crown where the Queen received critical feedback on her public speaking skills from Lord Altrincham, a journalist. Reading his words in newspaper headlines was confronting in the extreme.

Yet her response stood out: she broke with custom and set up a meeting to listen to him.

Standing Out

Later on, her actions stood out too.

Most of the suggestions she received in that secret meeting were swiftly acted upon and led to significant changes in how the palace interacted with the public.

Leaders need Big Ears.

Asking for feedback, and listening with an open mind, are among the most effective leadership behaviors I know. Yet these are still underrated skills today.

Knowing how to give feedback is important too, of course. In my experience, doing that effectively never fails to empower people for change.

Sadly, however, most people don’t know how to do this yet.

Using Skills

In the episode of The Crown, Lord Altrincham started his private discussion with the Queen by sharing his appreciation for her work and acknowledging the importance of her public engagement.

Only then, an on her request, did he share three tips on what to stop doing, followed by three things to start doing.

Today, the research we have at our disposal can help us to become even more effective in giving feedback than Lord Altrincham was in 1957.

As always, however, making a start is the most important step: using your Big Ears to listen, like Queen Elizabeth showed in The Crown and Jean-Claude Juncker wished for Ursula von der Leyen at the EU.

If your listening and feedback skills need working on, and you’re not afraid to stand out with an open mind to practice and experiment with these skills, then our community of leaders may be a good fit for you. Visit Grow3Leaders to request your invitation.

Joining is free of charge—and not free of commitment. Bring your Big Ears.