Do You Listen Or Are You A Stinky Fish?

If managers and leaders in business don’t listen, they probably stink like a fish. At least that’s my conclusion from two business posts I read today. At Drew McLellan’s blog, The Marketing Minute, his post Are you really listening? made me stop to listen. Drew’s contention is that, rather than pouring energies into innovation, business leaders should be doing a lot more good listening. The customer will provide the innovation.

“Pay more attention. Listen more intently. Wonder a little.”

In Terry Starbucker‘s blog, Ramblings From a Glass Half Full, his post, The Pithiest Leadership Advice I Ever Got really caught my eye because there aren’t too many people who use the word ‘pithy’.

“My boss and I were discussing another company that was having troubles, and while I produced a whole list of detailed reasons why this business could be failing my boss simply said this - ‘Terry, a fish stinks from its head down‘.”

It doesn’t take much imagination for the top dogs to realize where the bottom line is. When heads of business take interest and make the time to know what people really want, it’s necessarily win-win. If the consumer’s wants are dismissed, the innovations will go elsewhere. Take responsibility. Listen. Don’t be the fish.