Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical Business Skill of All

by Bernard T. Ferrari

Listening is harder than it looks- but it's the difference between business success and failure. Nothing causes bad decisions in organizations as often as poor listening. But Bernard Ferrari, adviser to some of the nation's most influential executives, believes that such missteps can be avoided and that the skills and habits of good listening can be developed and mastered. He offers a step-by-step process that will help readers become active listeners, able to shape and focus any conversation. Ferrari reveals how to turn a tin ear into a platinum ear. His practical insights

Genres: Business, Communication, Nonfiction, Leadership, Audiobook, Psychology, Self Help

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jeremy Wetherell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often struggle to transform my thoughts during a meeting into questions that facilitate empowering and insightful conclusions. I found the principles and listening framework in this book very helpful. I'll lay out the summary structure and key questions below, however the thought process and explanations in the book are worth the reading. - Jeremy Wetherell


Summary & Framework
-----------------------------
Part 1: Listen Up!
1. Listening is purposeful.
2. Listening requires control.
3. Listening requires total focus and engagement.
4. Listening is the front end of decision-making.

What Kind of Listener Are You?
1. The Opinionator
2. The Grouch
3. The Preambler
4. The Perseverator
5. The Answer Man
6. The Pretender

Key Listening Behaviors:
1. Respect Your Conversation Partner
2. Apply the 80/20 rule to listening
3. Challenge all assumptions

------------------------------
Part 2: Sorting The Chaos (A roadmap or set of mental file folders to listen for.)

1. WHAT IS THE MANDATE?
Question 1: Why are we here?
• What are the enduring, overarching aspirations?
• What is the fundamental reason for being?
• On what does the organization base its identity?
Question 2: Are there any misalignment?
Question 3: Can we work with this mandate?
• Does the mandate capture the imagination and energy of the leadership team?
• Can the mandate be communicated more broadly to all the stakeholders?
• Can the mandate be translated into a plan?
2. WHAT IS THE PLAN?
Question 1: What are the specific objectives that begin to move a company toward its mandate?
Question 2: What are the specific initiatives that will help achieve the objectives?
Question 3: What is the timeline?
• Are you and your CP in agreement about how often, and by what standards, you will mark your progress, in order to maintain confidence in your schedule?
Question 4: What assets are required, and are they available?
Question 5: What are the risks we will be facing?

3. WHAT IS THE TEAM?
Question 1: What capabilities do we need?
Question 2: What are the mind-sets of the team members?
Question 3: What are the roles of the team members?
Question 4: Will this assignment be good for the individuals on the team?
Question 5: What are the inescapable realities?
Question 6: How is the chemistry?
Question 7: What are the consequences of performance?

4. HOW WILL WE GET IT DONE?
Question 1: How are we making decisions?
Question 2: Are we getting the right information at the right time?
Question 3: How do we manage complexity?
Question 4: Do we have a rhythm?

5. IS IT GETTING PERSONAL? (Everything we communicate reveals something about who we
are, how we think, what we feel, and what we think is important.)
Question 1: What does this person value?
Question 2: What are the individual’s personal aspirations?
Question 3: How does this person interact with colleagues and others?
Question 4: What is the person’s level of self-awareness?

----------------------------
Part 3: Reaping The Benefits

Changing Your Organization Through Listening:
• Foster a more discipline and productive organization.
• Ensure the free and open flow of information and ideas.
• Establish a reverence for fact-based discussions.
• Generate new insights and more creative solutions.
• Build an organization that excites and energizes its people.

[Randy Powell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish. I wasn't able to connect with this material.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice about listening backed-up by anecdotes from his consulting career diverging in the final third to strategic planning advice built around his listening principles. In some ways two books in one. The listening advice is meaningful (although the anecdotes aren't always convincing as examples), and the strategic advice provides a valuable synopsis of helpful, if often familiar, ideas.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book, purely on the subject was excellent. The second half was on secondary skills related to listening and was not as good. I'd suggest buying it on the first half alone, which I would give 4-5 stars.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably need to listen to this again...

[Brittany Jewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are good bits of info in here, but this book could be 1/3 of the length

[Scott Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning from colleagues’ and direct reports’ assessments is a deceptively difficult task. Unlike with medical professionals where listening to patients is rigorously taught, most business education comparatively neglects this topic. Yet the simple act of listening can have a dramatic impact on one’s workplace effectiveness – and one’s career trajectory. This brief book seeks to teach those skills. As the conclusion admits, though, the proof is in the day-to-day practice of how a job is done.

Bernard Ferrari has an interesting background. He was educated in medical school and underwent a residency as a surgeon. Thus, he acquired those medical skills firsthand. However, he later decided to pursue a legal education and become a business consultant. He has spent most of his career consulting with business executives on dealing with so-called “soft skills” like listening. Critically, his approach tends towards the clinical in that he encourages executives to listen to their teams like physicians are taught to listen to patients.

In trying to raise my listening game at work, I’ve consulted several books addressing this topic. Without a doubt, this book is the best of the lot. It approaches the topic with an analytic rigor and deep interest often missing in other books. It contains case studies about listening from a variety of fields and settings. Even though the book unpacks a self-help topic, analyzing practical examples keeps readers engaged instead of the book drowning in self-help jargon. The book is relatively short, but power-packed.

The book’s two major components Ferrari’s method of listening and then its implications in several business domains. He reiterates his belief that leaders should listen to their employees much more – about four times more – than they talk… and when they talk, they should lead with questions. This technique seems easy, but in truth, pulling it off requires significant skill and discipline.

By itself, reading this book is not going to make someone a great listener. Only self-discipline and an insatiable curiosity will do that. However, this book can push someone in the right direction and keep them from common pitfalls, like opining excessively or acting as a know-it-all. Consider it a short course like having training wheels while learning to ride a bike. The real challenges come when those wheels are off and difficult terrain is encountered. But one must learn the basics before proceeding. I’ve found the basics presented here better than anywhere else I’ve seen so far.

[Gregg R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn to Listen From A Leader Who Mastered Listening: I’ve been reading books on listening lately. I’m almost done with The Lost Art Of Listening, Just Listen, and The Coaching Habit. They each have their own unique approaches, but what I love about Power Listening is I really felt like I was able to learn from a man who has spent his life mastering how to listen effectively. This book is a culmination of his figuring out what works best in regards to listening as a leader. I felt like I received 30 years worth of real world experience boiled down into an easy to read and highly practical coaching session. I’m definitely a better leader after reading this book and I’m sure I’ll refer back to it often.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening is the the front end of decision-making. Usually business books leave out tactical advice, this one doesn’t. Ferrari shares excellent guidance on what questions to ask to ensure your not overlooking assumptions when gathering information critical for decision making. It’s light on behavioral economics and what to do with shitty conversation partners, but if you work with decent humans, this book will be helpful.

[Stephen Pike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid read that gives you some structure to active listening. I didn't find the book groundbreaking but I did like how the author broke down the ways to listen in different situations. Definitely a reference book for the future.

[Luigi Benetton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the type of book you want to give as a gift to other people and that you never want to receive as a gift yourself. There has to be a more tactful way of broaching the topic with other people. But we probably all need to read it.

[Nishkarsh Swarnkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical advice delivered in a structured way. A very important read for anyone dealing with any kind of organisational dynamics (most of us).

[Arun Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much office related info after the second part. To me- kind of lost the focus on listening.

[Po · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short book but still ended up feeling like there was a lot of cliches and fluff.
That is not to say there weren't good ideas presented; just too far and few in between.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical advice on how to become a better listener and get more value out of conversations.

[Christopher Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the subject with personal experiences and perspectives. Some procedures. Step by step.

[Allyson Burrell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like the author needed to title this something more like, "Ask the Right Questions for Better Success." It was definitely more about that than about the actual art of listening. The author is constantly talking about how he did a great job in one situation or another by asking the right questions. Sure, in order to ask the right questions you might need to listen. But it seems like he had a master set of questions that he would give to businessmen to make better decisions. Maybe listening IS asking better questions... I'll have to give this some more thought. I have read other books on the subject of listening; therefore, I can covenantly say that there are better books on the subject of listening.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book. But about 60% of it is about making decisions and what information you need to look for when you about to make one (on that topic I found Decisive much more comprehensive book).

Parts of book which deal with listening I found quite good, filled with insights and strategies for effective listening. But it's not the book about listening which I would advice as an introduction to listening techniques.

[Zbyszek Sokolowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author is a veteran consultant from Mc Kinsey Company, and he knows what he is talking about. Main impression that this is a book written by intelligent person for intelligent people. He describes archetypes of bad listeners. Clearly shows that the best managers are those who listen actively their subordinates and coworkers actively with respect. Actively means not talking too much and asking correct questions.

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not all boring books are bad, and not all bad books are boring, but this book is both boring and bad. The idea of a book teaching listening skills is a great one - there is no doubt that listening skills are important. But this book just talks a lot about listening without really teaching you anything. It's 95% filler, and that explains why it's so boring.

[Larry Jebsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I was hoping for. Always looking to make myself a more effective manager. It had practicable information and a few good tips and anectdotes that I got some out of. I don't know if it was just me, but I was happy to be finished with it.I just don't think it gave me anything new.

[Lisa]

Very business oriented. Since I've had good coach training, I was familiar with many of his ideas related to listening well.

But it would be a good book for someone in business. Also a good review of listening skills.

[Akmal Soliev · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, just ok. You start to develop listening and filter skill throughout the years, this just tells you that you will develop them. You can be with a person for 3 hours and only after those 3 hours realize that that person was talking; if it isn't important information you won't listen.

[B K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for anyone who facilitates or leads groups through decision and design. Won't say it changed my life, but definitely made me think and absolutely gave me some hints.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook. Quick listen about being a better listener in a business environment.

[Sherri]

It was very ancedotal. I'm not sure it enriched my life much.