What does it mean to listen with your heart, not just your head? And how does this help us work at a deeper level with diversity, equity and inclusivity so that we can impact real change?  Dr. Teri Varner is an academic visionary with garnered experience in teaching, mentorship, and curriculum development to meet specific educational goals. A decorated educator with demonstrated expertise in communication theory, nonverbal communication, public speaking, and active listening.  She is an Associate Professor of Communication at St. Edward’s University (Austin, TX). She holds a Ph.D. in Communication with an emphasis in Performance Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Her ethnographic qualitative research interests range from women of color in American higher education to hair/body politics to increase the amount of classroom instruction devoted to teaching students how to actively listen in the 21st century. Dr. Varner is an active member of the National Communication Association (NCA) the International Listening Association (ILA) and Southern States Communication Association (SSCA). Her current research examines metacognitive listening strategies and takes a qualitative look at strategies that United States American students report using before, during, and after a listening event.  In this episode, Teri shares how when we are given an opportunity to use our voice, we can use it in its full capacity, to help each other, to speak up for what is right and just. She highlights how we need to give listening the time and space necessary to dig deep into where the other person is coming from for deeper understanding.   "What's important to me is that I would rather risk you thinking...there's something wrong with me...because I've asked you so many times. I am more concerned about getting it right than being embarrassed that I'm getting it wrong." - Teri Varner   Listen IN Notes: 01:10 - Teri remembers when she experienced the power of listening in a circle of women from all across the world. The key component was this idea of listening not just with your head, but really listening with your heart. 04:53 - As a newbie experiencing the listening workshop for the first time, with other women talking about what it's like to be from a marginalized community where people are often dismissive. She was amazed about our capacity as human beings to be sympathetic and empathetic. 06:37 - What is this 99/1 rule as coined by Dr. Carol McCall? 08:34 - On being a university chair for three years at St. Edward's University, the first African American department chair. 10:34 - Lessons she learned from being a university chair: expect the unexpected. 16:49 - Looking at listening in relation to action: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 22:16 - Why it takes so long for diversity, equity, and inclusion to take its roots. 25:39 - How to allow space and time for listening: When it comes to listening, being authentic -- making sure that there's time for you to listen. 30:38 - Teri’s mantra to make sure she's giving time and space for listening: You have my undivided attention.  32:13 - How to know when you have a full understanding after listening? 37:22 - Helping others understand: “I am asking you to repeat something because I want to understand fully. That's the strength. That's courage.“ 44:39 - Finding one's voice through listening: The power of lecturing with a microphone. Becoming more conscious, cognizant of how her voice is resonating throughout the room and with her students. It has made her think about what she will say next. 48:39 - How taking time to listen to our voice helps. 52:39 - Talking about the speech which was authentic, sincere, and with power that she gave when she received an educator award: “When I wrote the speech, I wrote it thinking that if I never had another opportunity to address this group of people, this is what I would want to say.” 55:02 - Teri's final words: Speaking truth to empower.  Key Takeaways: "What is this 99/1 rule? ...99% of what they are talking about that might be causing you what your perceived as harm, or is making you angry is 99% about them. And only 1% is you. And you just happened to show up." - Teri Varner  "Sometimes it may not be enough these days just to listen when we say that we have a background in listening; it might also be that there are times when as a result of listening, we really need to be proactive." - Teri Varner "To be both reaffirming of diversity, equity and inclusion, we want to include everyone, but still, celebrate our uniqueness and the challenges in between." - Teri Varner "Empowered listening is about knowing that you are devoting your energies to simply showing up for that person and not focusing on anything else other than what that person is sharing with you." - Teri Varner "If you don't understand what somebody has said, don't pretend, don't make it up. Just ask for help." - Teri Varner "When I decide that I'm going to take ownership and have control over the quality of the sound of my voice, then giving speeches or making presentations might not seem as daunting as it would have otherwise." - Teri Varner "If you have a voice, make sure that you use it to its full potential." - Teri Varner   People/Resources Mentioned: Dr. Carol McCall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarolmccall/   Connect with Teri Varner: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-l-varner-ph-d-64463226   Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

Listen IN

The #Power of #listening with your #heart, Giving voice for #Equity and #Inclusion with Dr. Teri Varner

 It doesn’t matter what background you have, or what type of job you do or the experiences you have, imagine what could be possible when you learn how to listen to your creativity? Robbie Bach, who is best known for founding and leading the team that created the Xbox did just this. And this process surprised him with his first novel, a thriller The Wilkes Insurrection, published in 2021.  Today he is an entertaining storyteller and catalyzing voice who writes books and speaks to audiences on leadership, creativity, strategy, and civic issues. During his twenty-two years at Microsoft, Robbie worked in various marketing and business management roles—including supporting the successful launch and expansion of Microsoft Office and leading the creation and development of the Xbox business.  Then as Microsoft’s President of the Entertainment and Devices Division, he was responsible for the company’s worldwide gaming, music, video, phone, and retail sales businesses until he retired in 2010. He currently chairs the board of the Bipartisan Policy Center. He also serves on the national board of governors for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Magic Leap, an augmented reality company. He previously served as a board member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Sonos Inc., Brooks Running Company, the Space Needle Inc., and Year Up Puget Sound. He is the co-owner of Manini’s, Inc., a gluten-free pasta and baking company. In 2015, he published his first book, Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal.  In this episode, Robbie shares stories about how he learned to listen to his creativity in order to write his first fiction. And you might be surprised at his process. Learn how to shift working with your strategic brain to listening to your creative brain and how may take an unexpected path as a story unfolds. He also reflects on what he has discovered this year through writing the book and how this is connected to leading a team, self-awareness and collaboration. Even though the book is a fiction, he hopes that when readers put the book down, they walk away and have learned something. He would like to hear from you about this!  "You have to be able to listen to yourself and to listen to what's going on inside your head, which is a weird process. It's just not natural, honestly. But very powerful." - Robbie Bach Listen IN Notes: 01:02 - The first moment that he started to notice the power of listening: We're literally sitting on two little chairs, about a meter apart. And each person is supposed to talk about something deeply emotional and meaningful to them. And the other person is supposed to listen and give them feedback cues without saying anything for a full minute.  02:55 - What has been most challenging for most leaders: Figuring out how to listen completely and not just pretend you're listening, but actually hear what the person is saying, understand the process and continue to process it before you respond.  04:02 - He shares his experience learning to listen his creative side: It was a challenge for me to listen to a different part of myself, and a different part of my brain -- a part of my brain that was not about strategy and marketing and communications, messaging and those types of things, but was instead about this creative story, which turns out to be an action thriller. 06:27 - What was the shift to listening to his creative side: You actually have to listen to the emotive part of your brain. 09:37 - The way he developed the characters in the book: Creativity is not a solo act. I had a couple of different forms of interaction to help me. 12:17 - Discovering how listening to ourselves, even if it seems egocentric is a very powerful lesson to learn: “I have to listen to myself.'  15:10 - How his second book turned into a thriller without intending to: I decided to write out of my fears.  20:00 - The one thing that surprises him the most writing the book 21:08 - What is an 'author's art' 22:21 - Commonalities in writing a book and leading teams and groups in a corporate setting 24:31 - One piece of advice he shares: This concept of self-awareness. And really, as best you can, try to understand who you are as a person.  26:25 - The Avengers Theory of Leadership: superpower is the thing that makes you uniquely talented. In addition to knowing your Avengers superpower, you have to know your kryptonite. You have to know the things that you are uniquely bad at. 28:35 - What is Robbie's superpower? 30:22 - Talking about the confession he wrote on LinkedIn 33:22 - The type of change he is mining: Productive constructive engagement and how to do it in a way where people listen, hear what others have to say, and then collaborate. 35:06 - What is the goal of his fiction book, The Wilkes Insurrection? 37:54 - A tip on how to listen more. 41:23 - The Wilkes Insurrection launch date 42:31 - Robbie’s final message: It's okay to think about myself as an individual and do things that are good for me. But at the end of the day, I have to think about what's good for the community, as well.  Key Takeaways:   "I haven't talked to a single author who uses the same process for writing their books. You have to have your way." - Robbie Bach   "I think it would be incredibly more valuable as a worker, as a friend, as a leader, if you actually understood yourself better." - Robbie Bach   "You can't create a self-awareness of who you want to be, you have to create a self-awareness of who you are." - Robbie Bach    "It's really incumbent as leaders and as people to understand what our superpowers are and to be honest with ourselves, about what we are truly great at." - Robbie Bach    Notes/Mentions: Book: The Wilkes Insurrection by Robbie Bach:https://wilkesinsurrection.com/ Connect with Robbie Bach: Website: https://www.robbiebach.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robbiebach61 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbiebach Twitter: https://twitter.com/robbie_bach Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn  

Former #Xbox CEO Robbie Bach on #Listening to #Creativity and Writing His first #Novel

It doesn’t matter what background you have, or what type of job you do or the experiences you have, imagine what could be possible when you learn how to listen to your creativity? Robbie Bach, who is best known for founding and leading the team that created the Xbox did just this. And this process surprised him with his first novel, a thriller The Wilkes Insurrection, published in 2021.  Today he is an entertaining storyteller and catalyzing voice who writes books and speaks to audiences on leadership, creativity, strategy, and civic issues. During his twenty-two years at Microsoft, Robbie worked in various marketing and business management roles—including supporting the successful launch and expansion of Microsoft Office and leading the creation and development of the Xbox business.  Then as Microsoft’s President of the Entertainment and Devices Division, he was responsible for the company’s worldwide gaming, music, video, phone, and retail sales businesses until he retired in 2010. He currently chairs the board of the Bipartisan Policy Center. He also serves on the national board of governors for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Magic Leap, an augmented reality company. He previously served as a board member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Sonos Inc., Brooks Running Company, the Space Needle Inc., and Year Up Puget Sound. He is the co-owner of Manini’s, Inc., a gluten-free pasta and baking company. In 2015, he published his first book, Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal.  In this episode, Robbie shares stories about how he learned to listen to his creativity in order to write his first fiction. And you might be surprised at his process. Learn how to shift working with your strategic brain to listening to your creative brain and how may take an unexpected path as a story unfolds. He also reflects on what he has discovered this year through writing the book and how this is connected to leading a team, self-awareness and collaboration. Even though the book is a fiction, he hopes that when readers put the book down, they walk away and have learned something. He would like to hear from you about this!  "You have to be able to listen to yourself and to listen to what's going on inside your head, which is a weird process. It's just not natural, honestly. But very powerful." - Robbie Bach Listen IN Notes: 01:02 - The first moment that he started to notice the power of listening: We're literally sitting on two little chairs, about a meter apart. And each person is supposed to talk about something deeply emotional and meaningful to them. And the other person is supposed to listen and give them feedback cues without saying anything for a full minute.  02:55 - What has been most challenging for most leaders: Figuring out how to listen completely and not just pretend you're listening, but actually hear what the person is saying, understand the process and continue to process it before you respond.  04:02 - He shares his experience learning to listen his creative side: It was a challenge for me to listen to a different part of myself, and a different part of my brain -- a part of my brain that was not about strategy and marketing and communications, messaging and those types of things, but was instead about this creative story, which turns out to be an action thriller. 06:27 - What was the shift to listening to his creative side: You actually have to listen to the emotive part of your brain. 09:37 - The way he developed the characters in the book: Creativity is not a solo act. I had a couple of different forms of interaction to help me. 12:17 - Discovering how listening to ourselves, even if it seems egocentric is a very powerful lesson to learn: “I have to listen to myself.'  15:10 - How his second book turned into a thriller without intending to: I decided to write out of my fears.  20:00 - The one thing that surprises him the most writing the book 21:08 - What is an 'author's art' 22:21 - Commonalities in writing a book and leading teams and groups in a corporate setting 24:31 - One piece of advice he shares: This concept of self-awareness. And really, as best you can, try to understand who you are as a person.  26:25 - The Avengers Theory of Leadership: superpower is the thing that makes you uniquely talented. In addition to knowing your Avengers superpower, you have to know your kryptonite. You have to know the things that you are uniquely bad at. 28:35 - What is Robbie's superpower? 30:22 - Talking about the confession he wrote on LinkedIn 33:22 - The type of change he is mining: Productive constructive engagement and how to do it in a way where people listen, hear what others have to say, and then collaborate. 35:06 - What is the goal of his fiction book, The Wilkes Insurrection? 37:54 - A tip on how to listen more. 41:23 - The Wilkes Insurrection launch date 42:31 - Robbie’s final message: It's okay to think about myself as an individual and do things that are good for me. But at the end of the day, I have to think about what's good for the community, as well.  Key Takeaways:   "I haven't talked to a single author who uses the same process for writing their books. You have to have your way." - Robbie Bach   "I think it would be incredibly more valuable as a worker, as a friend, as a leader, if you actually understood yourself better." - Robbie Bach   "You can't create a self-awareness of who you want to be, you have to create a self-awareness of who you are." - Robbie Bach    "It's really incumbent as leaders and as people to understand what our superpowers are and to be honest with ourselves, about what we are truly great at." - Robbie Bach    Notes/Mentions: Book: The Wilkes Insurrection by Robbie Bach:https://wilkesinsurrection.com/ Connect with Robbie Bach: Website: https://www.robbiebach.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robbiebach61 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbiebach Twitter: https://twitter.com/robbie_bach Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn  

 Let’s span the globe with listening activities that focus on creating and strengthening connections. Listen to connect.  Mentioned Resource: 2021 IDL THEME: LISTEN TO CONNECT IDL 2021 will be held on September 16, 2021. Connect with Raquel: Website: https://listeningalchemy.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-ark-b2067613/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Listening-Alchemy-200172590449210/?ref=page_internal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/listening_alchemy  

#ListeningSpark: How To Listen to Connect

   Too many interruptions are taking us away from what truly matters. We also see leaders afraid to listen. And this blocks the dynamics of listening, preventing a decision to trickle down to the lower echelons of the organization. Sense-making is a process that uses listening as a tool to foster learning that encompasses innovation, creativity, and transformation. It supports all voices being heard and leads to successful business outcomes while having positive societal impact and a sense of belonging. Dr. Gemma Jiang is the founding director of the Organizational Innovation Lab at the University of Pittsburgh. As a complexity leadership scholar and practitioner, Gemma is committed to bridging the "knowing-doing" gap by building capacity for addressing complex social challenges. She is involved in a diverse set of projects, including a National Science Foundation-funded convergence research project on circular economy and two Pittsburgh locally funded projects: the Pitt u.lab hub and the Adaptive Space.  In this episode, Gemma shares how projects she started, like, 'Let's do lunch' and 'Ideation Expo', set the tone for sense-making in its true meaning. Voices from the bottom are heard and listened to; fear barriers are broken, their concerns and aspirations taken into consideration. A picture of bottom-up and top-down interaction through listening can create an environment of learning and belonging. "Listening engenders belonging. Learning and belonging mutually reinforce each other." - Gemma Jiang Listen IN Notes: 00:01 - One of the key tools in sense-making: listening to each other and listening to the environment, making sense of it, and making adaptive changes based on what you hear.  02:35 - Relational measures and ecosystem awareness: how individuals work together with fellow team members. 06:05 - How you make sense of the ecosystem: you develop your relationship with the community you're a part of no matter how small or big. 08:17 - Understanding a bigger system through giving and receiving. Speaking through dialogues. 10:24 - Why everybody is so busy: there is not enough sense-making. 13:02 - An initiative she started called 'Let's do Lunch' -- a very bottom-up approach to listening.  17:36 - What is this 'Ideation Expo' she created -- where the bottom-up dynamic meets the top-down dynamics. 21:14 - Turning fear into taking action 24:27 - Do you listen to the fear, or do you listen to one's future highest potential? 25:06 - Where she experienced the power of listening: Asian culture gives more emphasis on listening versus the western culture 27:24 - The importance of sense-making where once you start to see things differently, the solution surfaces. 31:43 - Questions she asks in her research: How might organizations create enabling conditions to center listening and questioning? 32:20 - Where this question led her: Learning is only part of the story. The other part of the story is belonging. 36:20 - Listen to your people, they might have the answer.  37:05 - How can leaders listen to their people? 40:05 - Why are leaders afraid to listen? 42:56 - What are adaptive spaces and how can they support organizations? 49:49 - What does adaptive spaces encompass other than the physical space? 55:39 - How is listening tied to gratitude? Key Takeaways: "I think people...are too busy with action-taking. And that action-taking...is almost like a group of arrows, shooting out and around at the same time. There's no coordination, and there's no coherence in it. And the arrows are canceling each other out...That's why everybody's so busy; you are busy canceling out each other's efforts." - Gemma Jiang "The mirroring back was absolutely amazing. It was like I became an owl; it's like I had a 360 view of the events. I was able to see perspectives and aspects of my challenge that I would never be able to see with my own perspective." - Gemma Jiang "When everybody listens from their perspective, and when they mirror that back, it helps you to see your situation differently. It also helps you to see where the listener comes from. It's like all of a sudden multiple lightbulbs came out. I came to know myself better, my situation better, and also I came to know my listeners better." - Gemma Jiang "If you have a question, listen to your people; they might have the answer." - Gemma Jiang "A lot of times, we have this illusion that if you are a leader, you have a lot of space. But I think the reality, especially in more hierarchical organizations, it’s totally opposite. The higher you are in the hierarchy, the less room you have to be creative. What's more, the system demands you to carry on the agenda of the system." - Gemma Jiang "Adaptive space stands in between the bottom-up dynamic, which we call adaptive leadership, and top-down dynamic, which we call administrative leadership. And adaptive space stands right in between these two and connects them." - Gemma Jiang "I often tie listening with gratitude. Because it's a rare connection. It's a weird connection. But, in my mind, it makes sense because they are both in a state of receivership." - Gemma Jiang "Organizational transformation is grounded in individual transformation. One message is probably to investigate and examine personal relationships with listening, and then bring those new insights into organizations and into any relationship that we are part of, what a transformative effect it has." - Gemma Jiang Notes/Mentions: Theory U by Otto Scharmer: https://www.ottoscharmer.com/sites/default/files/Witten_Mindful_Leadership_h.pdf Otto Scharmer: https://www.ottoscharmer.com/ Connect with Gemma Jiang: LinkedIn Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

#Listening to Foster #Innovation, #Creativity and #Transformation with Gemma Jiang

Too many interruptions are taking us away from what truly matters. We also see leaders afraid to listen. And this blocks the dynamics of listening, preventing a decision to trickle down to the lower echelons of the organization.   Sense-making is a process that uses listening as a tool to foster learning that encompasses innovation, creativity, and transformation. It supports all voices being heard and leads to successful business outcomes while having positive societal impact and a sense of belonging.   Dr. Gemma Jiang is the founding director of the Organizational Innovation Lab at the University of Pittsburgh. As a complexity leadership scholar and practitioner, Gemma is committed to bridging the "knowing-doing" gap by building capacity for addressing complex social challenges. She is involved in a diverse set of projects, including a National Science Foundation-funded convergence research project on circular economy and two Pittsburgh locally funded projects: the Pitt u.lab hub and the Adaptive Space.    In this episode, Gemma shares how projects she started, like, 'Let's do lunch' and 'Ideation Expo', set the tone for sense-making in its true meaning. Voices from the bottom are heard and listened to; fear barriers are broken, their concerns and aspirations taken into consideration. A picture of bottom-up and top-down interaction through listening can create an environment of learning and belonging.   "Listening engenders belonging. Learning and belonging mutually reinforce each other." - Gemma Jiang   Listen IN Notes:   00:01 - One of the key tools in sense-making: listening to each other and listening to the environment, making sense of it, and making adaptive changes based on what you hear.  02:35 - Relational measures and ecosystem awareness: how individuals work together with fellow team members. 06:05 - How you make sense of the ecosystem: you develop your relationship with the community you're a part of no matter how small or big. 08:17 - Understanding a bigger system through giving and receiving. Speaking through dialogues. 10:24 - Why everybody is so busy: there is not enough sense-making. 13:02 - An initiative she started called 'Let's do Lunch' -- a very bottom-up approach to listening.  17:36 - What is this 'Ideation Expo' she created -- where the bottom-up dynamic meets the top-down dynamics. 21:14 - Turning fear into taking action 24:27 - Do you listen to the fear, or do you listen to one's future highest potential? 25:06 - Where she experienced the power of listening: Asian culture gives more emphasis on listening versus the western culture 27:24 - The importance of sense-making where once you start to see things differently, the solution surfaces. 31:43 - Questions she asks in her research: How might organizations create enabling conditions to center listening and questioning? 32:20 - Where this question led her: Learning is only part of the story. The other part of the story is belonging. 36:20 - Listen to your people, they might have the answer.  37:05 - How can leaders listen to their people? 40:05 - Why are leaders afraid to listen? 42:56 - What are adaptive spaces and how can they support organizations? 49:49 - What does adaptive spaces encompass other than the physical space? 55:39 - How is listening tied to gratitude?   Key Takeaways:   "I think people...are too busy with action-taking. And that action-taking...is almost like a group of arrows, shooting out and around at the same time. There's no coordination, and there's no coherence in it. And the arrows are canceling each other out...That's why everybody's so busy; you are busy canceling out each other's efforts." - Gemma Jiang   "The mirroring back was absolutely amazing. It was like I became an owl; it's like I had a 360 view of the events. I was able to see perspectives and aspects of my challenge that I would never be able to see with my own perspective." - Gemma Jiang   "When everybody listens from their perspective, and when they mirror that back, it helps you to see your situation differently. It also helps you to see where the listener comes from. It's like all of a sudden multiple lightbulbs came out. I came to know myself better, my situation better, and also I came to know my listeners better." - Gemma Jiang   "If you have a question, listen to your people; they might have the answer." - Gemma Jiang   "A lot of times, we have this illusion that if you are a leader, you have a lot of space. But I think the reality, especially in more hierarchical organizations, it’s totally opposite. The higher you are in the hierarchy, the less room you have to be creative. What's more, the system demands you to carry on the agenda of the system." - Gemma Jiang   "Adaptive space stands in between the bottom-up dynamic, which we call adaptive leadership, and top-down dynamic, which we call administrative leadership. And adaptive space stands right in between these two and connects them." - Gemma Jiang   "I often tie listening with gratitude. Because it's a rare connection. It's a weird connection. But, in my mind, it makes sense because they are both in a state of receivership." - Gemma Jiang   "Organizational transformation is grounded in individual transformation. One message is probably to investigate and examine personal relationships with listening, and then bring those new insights into organizations and into any relationship that we are part of, what a transformative effect it has." - Gemma Jiang   Notes/Mentions:   Theory U by Otto Scharmer: https://www.ottoscharmer.com/sites/default/files/Witten_Mindful_Leadership_h.pdf Otto Scharmer: https://www.ottoscharmer.com/   Connect with Gemma Jiang:   LinkedIn   Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn  

 Have you ever noticed how rushing conversations and negotiations can create unnecessary misunderstandings?  Or even cause us to miss the point which can lead to critical business outcomes? How can you intentionally listen leading to more effective, innovative solutions? Feedback loops integrating asking, listening, connecting and developing are key towards successful negotiations and building strong business relationships.  With over 30 years of international business management experience, Juergen Scherer shares how he puts this into practice and how this has had a huge impact in the business world. He is a Business Consultant, Coach and Lecturer at BXB Exchange, and a Senior Executive & Member of Executive Committees. His experience ranges in many areas with a strong focus on Sales, Key Account Management, and Procurement / Supply Chain Management within Global FMCG, Chemical and Industrial Packaging Industries. In this episode, Juergen talks about reflective listening and how it is needed for negotiation and sales with business partners to reach a win-win-win solution.  "Listening is a core element. And it's often overlooked...It is a combination of asking, listening, connecting, and developing."  - Juergen Scherer  Listen IN Notes: 00:39 - Talking about his first conscious recognition of the power of listening: reference to Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, particularly one which says, 'Seek first to understand, then to be understood.' 03:16 - One exercise that struck him the most on the power of listening: a seller-buyer negotiation role-play called the orange quarrel 07:13 - Listening as a significant step in combination with other steps you need to develop relationships important for negotiating with your business partners. 10:34 - What is reflective listening, and how does this help in the conversation or negotiation process? 16:04 - How superficial conversations leads to massive misunderstandings 20:25 - Reflection on the pace Juergen speaks: One way to give your own thinking enough time even as you speak. 21:44 - Referencing material by a marketing professor talking about the responsibility that comes with saying, 'I understand.' 24:51 - Why is it not good enough to ask a question with a yes or no answer: a classic example for a closed question. 28:05 - Deepening relationships between companies more than just being transactional 30:56 - 'Connect and develop' -- Juergen shares his personal experience with Procter & Gamble and the start of open innovation among companies 35:56 - How to understand unmet or unspoken needs -- asking open questions, listening, ensuring that there is some understanding is the starting point for developing the solution.  39:10 - Creating innovation, ideas, and solutions and nurturing relationships 40:46 - Advice for people just starting out in their careers: Self-awareness of those aspects of listening, seek out training opportunities, practice each and every day and seek out feedback. Key Takeaways: "Listening is a core element. And it's often overlooked. But it only makes sense, and it only is a component of moving forward and achieving something if it is in a sequence of activities. It is a combination of asking, listening, connecting, and developing." - Juergen Scherer  "Everything in a relationship, not only in a business relationship...is built on mutual trust. And this is where I believe listening has an enormous influence as a trust-building factor." - Juergen Scherer  "The reality is, two-thirds of global trade is in business to business...And in a B2B context, what we are talking about is a continuous process over days, weeks, months, years. It is a constant coming back to conversations, to negotiations, to trust-building steps, to relationship management, and back to the listening aspect." - Juergen Scherer  "What we both agreed on as mutual understanding a week ago might have changed. So don't assume that once you have achieved this understanding, it will stay forever. It won't. Because all our life circumstances and business circumstances are moving targets. We know that, and new things could have happened. So I need to start over and reassure. And again, ask, listen, and understand before I move forward." - Juergen Scherer  "The open question asking, the listening, the ensuring that there is some understanding is the starting point for developing the solution." - Juergen Scherer  Notes/Mentions: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519  The Harvard Business and the Harvard Law School: https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/academics/degree-programs/special-programs/joint-jd-master-degree-programs/joint-degree-program-in-law-business/#hlsnav-overview Getting to Yes: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Yes-Negotiating-Agreement-Without/dp/0143118757  Connect with Juergen Scherer: bxb-exchange.com/ LinkedIn Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

#Listening as a #Success Factor for #Sales and #Negotiations with Jürgen Scherer

Have you ever noticed how rushing conversations and negotiations can create unnecessary misunderstandings?  Or even cause us to miss the point which can lead to critical business outcomes? How can you intentionally listen leading to more effective, innovative solutions? Feedback loops integrating asking, listening, connecting and developing are key towards successful negotiations and building strong business relationships.  With over 30 years of international business management experience, Juergen Scherer shares how he puts this into practice and how this has had a huge impact in the business world. He is a Business Consultant, Coach and Lecturer at BXB Exchange, and a Senior Executive & Member of Executive Committees. His experience ranges in many areas with a strong focus on Sales, Key Account Management, and Procurement / Supply Chain Management within Global FMCG, Chemical and Industrial Packaging Industries. In this episode, Juergen talks about reflective listening and how it is needed for negotiation and sales with business partners to reach a win-win-win solution.    "Listening is a core element. And it's often overlooked...It is a combination of asking, listening, connecting, and developing."    - Juergen Scherer    Listen IN Notes:   00:39 - Talking about his first conscious recognition of the power of listening: reference to Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, particularly one which says, 'Seek first to understand, then to be understood.' 03:16 - One exercise that struck him the most on the power of listening: a seller-buyer negotiation role-play called the orange quarrel 07:13 - Listening as a significant step in combination with other steps you need to develop relationships important for negotiating with your business partners. 10:34 - What is reflective listening, and how does this help in the conversation or negotiation process? 16:04 - How superficial conversations leads to massive misunderstandings 20:25 - Reflection on the pace Juergen speaks: One way to give your own thinking enough time even as you speak. 21:44 - Referencing material by a marketing professor talking about the responsibility that comes with saying, 'I understand.' 24:51 - Why is it not good enough to ask a question with a yes or no answer: a classic example for a closed question. 28:05 - Deepening relationships between companies more than just being transactional 30:56 - 'Connect and develop' -- Juergen shares his personal experience with Procter & Gamble and the start of open innovation among companies 35:56 - How to understand unmet or unspoken needs -- asking open questions, listening, ensuring that there is some understanding is the starting point for developing the solution.  39:10 - Creating innovation, ideas, and solutions and nurturing relationships 40:46 - Advice for people just starting out in their careers: Self-awareness of those aspects of listening, seek out training opportunities, practice each and every day and seek out feedback. Key Takeaways:   "Listening is a core element. And it's often overlooked. But it only makes sense, and it only is a component of moving forward and achieving something if it is in a sequence of activities. It is a combination of asking, listening, connecting, and developing." - Juergen Scherer    "Everything in a relationship, not only in a business relationship...is built on mutual trust. And this is where I believe listening has an enormous influence as a trust-building factor." - Juergen Scherer    "The reality is, two-thirds of global trade is in business to business...And in a B2B context, what we are talking about is a continuous process over days, weeks, months, years. It is a constant coming back to conversations, to negotiations, to trust-building steps, to relationship management, and back to the listening aspect." - Juergen Scherer    "What we both agreed on as mutual understanding a week ago might have changed. So don't assume that once you have achieved this understanding, it will stay forever. It won't. Because all our life circumstances and business circumstances are moving targets. We know that, and new things could have happened. So I need to start over and reassure. And again, ask, listen, and understand before I move forward." - Juergen Scherer    "The open question asking, the listening, the ensuring that there is some understanding is the starting point for developing the solution." - Juergen Scherer  Notes/Mentions: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519  The Harvard Business and the Harvard Law School: https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/academics/degree-programs/special-programs/joint-jd-master-degree-programs/joint-degree-program-in-law-business/#hlsnav-overview Getting to Yes: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Yes-Negotiating-Agreement-Without/dp/0143118757  Connect with Juergen Scherer: bxb-exchange.com/ LinkedIn   Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn  

 Listening unites and connects us. Taking time to stop and listen to others, despite culture, race, sexual orientation, views, can create a deep human connection even when we have strong differences of opinions.  The powerful transformation brought by listening is one of the simple changes the world never knew we actually needed. No limitations, no differences, just human connection and acceptance through listening. Juliana Tafur is the creator of Listen Courageously, award-winning filmmaker of “List(e)n”, board member of the International Listening Association, and former Discovery networks content executive. She is convinced that listening to stories has the ability to change us.  She has been on a listening journey since producing “List(e)n”, a documentary that brings together people on opposite ends of the spectrum to connect at a human level and transcend their differences.  She’s the CEO of Story Powerhouse, and via award-winning films creates safe spaces for employees at organizations and academic institutions to share, listen to each other and learn skills to cope with today’s challenges. “Listening is transformative. It's the most powerful thing that anyone can engage in. And it's so simple, but we don't know enough about it. And we are not given opportunities where we can engage in pure, deep, and sincere present empathetic listening.” - Juliana Tafur Listen IN Notes: 00:33 - Julianna shares the first time she realized the importance and impact of listening 03:13 - What did Juliana do after noticing the undeniable power of listening? 04:21 - All about Juliana’s Listening Courageously Workshops and how it has influenced people 12:54 - Where does the feeling of satisfying relief come from after taking Juliana’s workshop? 14:57 - Juliana talks about communication boundaries and listening problems at an organizational level 17:24 - What do organizations and NGOs ask and what do they receive afterward? 22:22 - Juliana shares what drives her forward in pursuing listening and helping people to understand its powerful value 26:12 - Words to describe Juliana is bringing her whole self to her work 27:55 - The realizations and learnings of Juliana after creating a micro-universe that beautifully shares the power of listening  30:23 - Juliana shares what she would love to understand more about listening 32:14 - Juliana talks about the common questions she’s been asked in workshops 36:29 - Juliana’s ideas and thoughts on how listening can be implemented or happen more in organizations Key Takeaways: “We connect at a human level with people, regardless of who we are, where we come from, and who they are, or what their story is.” - Juliana Tafur “When we listen courageously, when we step out of our comfort zones and understand that at the end of that discomfort of, "You believe this. I believe that. We're never going to agree.” ...there might be a sense of relief when we stop to get to know each other.” - Juliana Tafur “A lot of people don't think it's possible to connect across our divides and across our differences as people. And they are relieved, because we're all so tired of it, whether we want to recognize it, acknowledge it or not. We're just exhausted.” - Juliana Tafur “(Listening) is more about creating spaces for people to voice concerns, to voice what they have gone through.” - Juliana Tafur “We are all recognizing that we are not separate from what is happening around us.”  - Juliana Tafur “By creating spaces where people are sharing what has impacted them, we are opening the door for them to do the same when they go back to work. We are opening the door for people to acknowledge..."This has happened to me...because of the color of my skin or my race or cultural background." - Juliana Tafur “We are actually suggesting that...those things that have shaped us and matter to us also inform what we bring to the workplace, the way that we see things, decisions, creativity. We bring solutions that we might contribute with passion, especially things that we care deeply about, because of what we have gone through or experienced in life.” - Juliana Tafur Connect with Juliana Tafur: Website: https://listencourageously.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/listen.courageously/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/listen.courageously/  Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianatafur/  Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

Navigating Differences Through Heart-centered Empathic Listening with Juliana Tafur

Listening unites and connects us. Taking time to stop and listen to others, despite culture, race, sexual orientation, views, can create a deep human connection even when we have strong differences of opinions.  The powerful transformation brought by listening is one of the simple changes the world never knew we actually needed. No limitations, no differences, just human connection and acceptance through listening. Juliana Tafur is the creator of Listen Courageously, award-winning filmmaker of “List(e)n”, board member of the International Listening Association, and former Discovery networks content executive. She is convinced that listening to stories has the ability to change us.  She has been on a listening journey since producing “List(e)n”, a documentary that brings together people on opposite ends of the spectrum to connect at a human level and transcend their differences.  She’s the CEO of Story Powerhouse, and via award-winning films creates safe spaces for employees at organizations and academic institutions to share, listen to each other and learn skills to cope with today’s challenges.   “Listening is transformative. It's the most powerful thing that anyone can engage in. And it's so simple, but we don't know enough about it. And we are not given opportunities where we can engage in pure, deep, and sincere present empathetic listening.” - Juliana Tafur   Listen IN Notes:   00:33 - Julianna shares the first time she realized the importance and impact of listening   03:13 - What did Juliana do after noticing the undeniable power of listening?   04:21 - All about Juliana’s Listening Courageously Workshops and how it has influenced people   12:54 - Where does the feeling of satisfying relief come from after taking Juliana’s workshop?   14:57 - Juliana talks about communication boundaries and listening problems at an organizational level   17:24 - What do organizations and NGOs ask and what do they receive afterward?   22:22 - Juliana shares what drives her forward in pursuing listening and helping people to understand its powerful value   26:12 - Words to describe Juliana is bringing her whole self to her work   27:55 - The realizations and learnings of Juliana after creating a micro-universe that beautifully shares the power of listening    30:23 - Juliana shares what she would love to understand more about listening   32:14 - Juliana talks about the common questions she’s been asked in workshops   36:29 - Juliana’s ideas and thoughts on how listening can be implemented or happen more in organizations Key Takeaways:   “We connect at a human level with people, regardless of who we are, where we come from, and who they are, or what their story is.” - Juliana Tafur   “When we listen courageously, when we step out of our comfort zones and understand that at the end of that discomfort of, "You believe this. I believe that. We're never going to agree.” ...there might be a sense of relief when we stop to get to know each other.” - Juliana Tafur   “A lot of people don't think it's possible to connect across our divides and across our differences as people. And they are relieved, because we're all so tired of it, whether we want to recognize it, acknowledge it or not. We're just exhausted.” - Juliana Tafur   “(Listening) is more about creating spaces for people to voice concerns, to voice what they have gone through.” - Juliana Tafur   “We are all recognizing that we are not separate from what is happening around us.”  - Juliana Tafur   “By creating spaces where people are sharing what has impacted them, we are opening the door for them to do the same when they go back to work. We are opening the door for people to acknowledge..."This has happened to me...because of the color of my skin or my race or cultural background." - Juliana Tafur   “We are actually suggesting that...those things that have shaped us and matter to us also inform what we bring to the workplace, the way that we see things, decisions, creativity. We bring solutions that we might contribute with passion, especially things that we care deeply about, because of what we have gone through or experienced in life.” - Juliana Tafur   Connect with Juliana Tafur: Website: https://listencourageously.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/listen.courageously/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/listen.courageously/  Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianatafur/  Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

 Consider a time when you spent a lot of time and resources with a group trying to solve a problem, and it seemed like nothing happened as a result. You didn’t feel valued and thought you wasted your time. You wouldn’t do that again. Annie brings clarity as to why this happens in the decision-making process and what the bigger story may be. She helps us consider our role of listening as a leader and how to move beyond checking off the listening box to instead be an effective leader, inspiring people to continue to be engaged in the work that matters. Annie Rappeport is a current International Education and Policy Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maryland, College Park and an Ann C. Wylie Dissertation Fellow for 2021. Her research focus areas are memory construction, peacebuilding and conflict transformation after conflict and natural disasters. In 2020,  Annie received the University of Maryland Outstanding Graduate Student Distinguished Service award for her two years of service as the Graduate Student Government President, as an active representative on university task forces related to mental health, affordability and access in higher education, diversity and inclusion and civic engagement. Annie is an active member of the International Listening Association and the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation furthering her commitment to the value of listening based servant leadership and community engagement.  Alongside her dissertation, Annie pursues research related to strategic listening and effective dialogue towards health democracies in the United States and in the Israeli-Palestinian context. Her work in dialogue and listening in healthcare settings led her to Dublin, Ireland to speak for the International Listening Association. Annie has testified repeatedly at the Maryland General Assembly for student related issues including the Student Voter Empowerment Act and the Right for Graduate Student Employees to Collectively Bargain.  In this episode, be surprised at how listening catalysed a shy, quiet person into a strong leader working with complex situations. Annie will share her story as well as help you to understand better what is needed so that the value of listening is not lost.  Annie also talks about how power plays a role and how to work around those who choose not to listen. She touches on the non-verbal form of listening, where breathing is one way to cue into what's going on in another person's mind and heart. She also talks about a balanced way of having a dialogue-focused listening conversation where you not only take in what others have to offer; you also contribute to enhancing communication for better decision-making and change. "Human relationships are what matter. And being authentic, learning about the people you're working with, the people you represent, the people you lead, and following through with them and showing your gratitude to them are the whole cycle. And it needs to happen over and over."  - Annie Rappeport  Listen IN Notes: 01:46 - Annie shares her interesting childhood experiences of listening, which now has a huge influence on how she listens. 04:42 - She shares how she was always shy, curious and in an listening absorption mode to best relate to the circumstances. 06:12 - That pivotal (and scary) moment that influenced her approach to listening where listening and having a voice is now more balanced - she calls this dialogue-focused. 11:52 - Listening as the core to about every area; also listening to nonverbal cues 13:00 - Annie shares how breathing and listening interplay. 16:24 - How this listening approach helps in education: the shift from absorption to a more participatory mode 20:12 - Leadership is listening to the environment, and being in tune with your community as well. 22:55 - One impactful listening experience she has: ongoing research projects understanding better the efforts of peace-based organizations that are centered around listening, specifically between communities in the Middle East, in Israel and Palestine. She shares examples of how to help listening be possible, also in extreme circumstances of conflict and how this supports overall leadership development.  29:40 - Power dynamics: How it impacts how much people are willing to share, listen, and act upon what they're hearing. 31:07 - What does it mean for leaders to listen and not just check off a box? 37:35 -  Understanding the power dynamics to help get positive ideas to come alive. 46:16 - A missed opportunity: when elements of a discussion had been integrated into a decision, but it never got relayed back to those who were part of the conversation. 52:17 - Why it’s important to be aware of these gaps: the need for follow through after being in the listening sessions 53:04 - Annie’s nugget of wisdom that could impact you personally and at work: Be the leader in your world, wherever that is. That you are making sure those gaps don't happen. 58:23 - How to listen being curious with empathy and compassion: taking a moment to unlearn your preconceived notions, and making yourself a blank slate, even if it's just for a moment Key Takeaways: "Listening just to how the people around you are breathing can really tell you so much about where they are in their minds or in their hearts." - Annie Rappeport "When people feel listened to, it just changes everything." - Annie Rappeport "Those one-on-one conversations are what people remember; it's how I've been able to keep in touch with and have long-lasting relationships with the people I work with, which is meaningful, personally, to me. It made me, more importantly, effective as a leader; I remember them as a person...And I know at a  meta-level, that helps me truly advocate for them better." - Annie Rappeport "If you're able to, before you ask a critical question, take a moment to pause and wipe your brain clean of your preconceived notions. It can make for some incredible moments of mutual understanding. And I think those are important in dialogue and listening scenarios." - Annie Rappeport Notes / Mentions: New Story Leadership: https://www.newstoryleadership.org/our-vision Connect with Annie Rappaport: LinkedIn arappepo@terpmail.umd.edu Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

Strategic #Listening: The Pathway to #WorldPeace with Annie Rappeport

Consider a time when you spent a lot of time and resources with a group trying to solve a problem, and it seemed like nothing happened as a result. You didn’t feel valued and thought you wasted your time. You wouldn’t do that again.   Annie brings clarity as to why this happens in the decision-making process and what the bigger story may be. She helps us consider our role of listening as a leader and how to move beyond checking off the listening box to instead be an effective leader, inspiring people to continue to be engaged in the work that matters.   Annie Rappeport is a current International Education and Policy Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maryland, College Park and an Ann C. Wylie Dissertation Fellow for 2021. Her research focus areas are memory construction, peacebuilding and conflict transformation after conflict and natural disasters. In 2020,  Annie received the University of Maryland Outstanding Graduate Student Distinguished Service award for her two years of service as the Graduate Student Government President, as an active representative on university task forces related to mental health, affordability and access in higher education, diversity and inclusion and civic engagement. Annie is an active member of the International Listening Association and the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation furthering her commitment to the value of listening based servant leadership and community engagement.    Alongside her dissertation, Annie pursues research related to strategic listening and effective dialogue towards health democracies in the United States and in the Israeli-Palestinian context. Her work in dialogue and listening in healthcare settings led her to Dublin, Ireland to speak for the International Listening Association. Annie has testified repeatedly at the Maryland General Assembly for student related issues including the Student Voter Empowerment Act and the Right for Graduate Student Employees to Collectively Bargain.    In this episode, be surprised at how listening catalysed a shy, quiet person into a strong leader working with complex situations. Annie will share her story as well as help you to understand better what is needed so that the value of listening is not lost.    Annie also talks about how power plays a role and how to work around those who choose not to listen. She touches on the non-verbal form of listening, where breathing is one way to cue into what's going on in another person's mind and heart. She also talks about a balanced way of having a dialogue-focused listening conversation where you not only take in what others have to offer; you also contribute to enhancing communication for better decision-making and change. "Human relationships are what matter. And being authentic, learning about the people you're working with, the people you represent, the people you lead, and following through with them and showing your gratitude to them are the whole cycle. And it needs to happen over and over."  - Annie Rappeport    Listen IN Notes:   01:46 - Annie shares her interesting childhood experiences of listening, which now has a huge influence on how she listens.   04:42 - She shares how she was always shy, curious and in an listening absorption mode to best relate to the circumstances.   06:12 - That pivotal (and scary) moment that influenced her approach to listening where listening and having a voice is now more balanced - she calls this dialogue-focused.   11:52 - Listening as the core to about every area; also listening to nonverbal cues   13:00 - Annie shares how breathing and listening interplay.   16:24 - How this listening approach helps in education: the shift from absorption to a more participatory mode   20:12 - Leadership is listening to the environment, and being in tune with your community as well.   22:55 - One impactful listening experience she has: ongoing research projects understanding better the efforts of peace-based organizations that are centered around listening, specifically between communities in the Middle East, in Israel and Palestine. She shares examples of how to help listening be possible, also in extreme circumstances of conflict and how this supports overall leadership development.    29:40 - Power dynamics: How it impacts how much people are willing to share, listen, and act upon what they're hearing.   31:07 - What does it mean for leaders to listen and not just check off a box?   37:35 -  Understanding the power dynamics to help get positive ideas to come alive.   46:16 - A missed opportunity: when elements of a discussion had been integrated into a decision, but it never got relayed back to those who were part of the conversation.   52:17 - Why it’s important to be aware of these gaps: the need for follow through after being in the listening sessions   53:04 - Annie’s nugget of wisdom that could impact you personally and at work: Be the leader in your world, wherever that is. That you are making sure those gaps don't happen.   58:23 - How to listen being curious with empathy and compassion: taking a moment to unlearn your preconceived notions, and making yourself a blank slate, even if it's just for a moment   Key Takeaways:   "Listening just to how the people around you are breathing can really tell you so much about where they are in their minds or in their hearts." - Annie Rappeport   "When people feel listened to, it just changes everything." - Annie Rappeport   "Those one-on-one conversations are what people remember; it's how I've been able to keep in touch with and have long-lasting relationships with the people I work with, which is meaningful, personally, to me. It made me, more importantly, effective as a leader; I remember them as a person...And I know at a  meta-level, that helps me truly advocate for them better." - Annie Rappeport   "If you're able to, before you ask a critical question, take a moment to pause and wipe your brain clean of your preconceived notions. It can make for some incredible moments of mutual understanding. And I think those are important in dialogue and listening scenarios." - Annie Rappeport Notes / Mentions:   New Story Leadership: https://www.newstoryleadership.org/our-vision   Connect with Annie Rappaport:   LinkedIn arappepo@terpmail.umd.edu   Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn  

#StrategicListening: The Pathway to #WorldPeace with Annie Rappeport

Being a leader in a Vuca (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world is not easy and according to Susanne Marell, requires listening. And listening takes different forms. Listening to the market and customer trends, listening to my team needs, listening to individual needs and listening to feedback from my team, not to mention the questions that arise.   How can we listen in a way that gives us energy to think strategically and create success in a company, even through challenging mergers and acquisitions.   Susanne Marell is CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies in Germany. Before joining H+K she was Managing Director at JP KOM and prior to that she served as CEO of Edelman for six years, overseeing the acquisition and merger with ergo Kommunikation.   She started her career as a consultant with the agency Kohtes & Klewes (now Ketchum). In the following years, Marell worked for companies such as Schering, Hoechst and Aventis CropScience. As Head of Communications and Market Services, her responsibilities included strategic communications support for merger and acquisition activities. In 2000, she moved to the chemical company Cognis and, as Vice President Corporate Communications, took over the management of worldwide corporate and sustainability communications. Following the acquisition of Cognis by BASF in 2010, Susanne was responsible for global brand management as Vice President Corporate Brand Management at BASF in Ludwigshafen.   Susanne is a certified systemic consultant and change expert. She has many years of international experience in communications, marketing and sustainability, both on the corporate and agency side. In addition, she is a co-founder of the German network of "Global Women in PR" and has built up the initiative "Next Gen Leadership" as a member of the extended board.   In this episode, Susanne Marell shares how continuous feedback is needed to be a great leader; it helps you listen to make a more objective assessment while keeping you on the pulse of the organization, what your team needs and how you can move together towards a common goal with market trends top of mind.   She points out that psychological safety, where people are provided a safe space to be heard without fear of consequences, ensures open and honest feedback.    She also highlights the importance of leaders understanding market and customer trends first when leading teams. She calls this an outside-in approach so that you can understand the bigger picture around what you want to achieve by listening to all the stakeholders.   "A leader needs feedback to be a good leader."  - Susanne Marell Listen IN Notes:   01:10 - The first time she experienced being a communication practitioner and becoming a good leader 02:40 - Only by listening in a new business model will you be able to understand the context and how things play together 05:14 - How listening supported her leadership role as being part of an integration team 9:25 - To better understand what is behind any criticism and feedback: You must learn how to frame things, dig into the details, and learn the context of what you put in your story line,. If they [colleagues] are positive towards you, they will  stress test your vision. 13:57 - Feedback being the highest value for a leader 16:46 - Providing psychological safety in leadership sessions 19:13 - Going in front of people [employees and investors] even in uncertain times and you don't know all the answers 21:28 - What it means to be a leader in a VUCA world 23:13 - Focusing your team on the outside in 24:56 - Giving a Northstar is just as important as giving people the 100 criteria 27:08 - What does being agile in today's world mean? 37:50 - He who poses the questions is the one who leads 43:28 - One listening style: Posing questions on a 360 degree angle 45:23 - Having a full scope of questions beyond Zoom meetings avoids risks in losing so  many things 47:48 - Finding the right way to be on the pulse of your organization, of your teams, and of  your decisions 49:43 - Creative ways you can do where voices are heard outside of work environment 51:38 - Is listening agreeing to what people say? Key Takeaways:    "In all of these projects, where I was part of integration teams, I simply had to listen very well first to give a good recommendation about how we could integrate teams. But also to develop the vision of why these companies work together and put this vision in a storyline, which would be understood by all people globally." - Susanne Marell   "Feedback is something which is of the highest value for a leader. If I'm getting feedback, this helps me to develop, but it also helps me to give a better analysis of where my team stands where my plans stand." - Susanne Marell   "The positive part of listening is you get feedback." - Susanne Marell   "Leading in uncertain times simply means that you have to navigate your team through those times as best as possible, even if you don't always have the answers." - Susanne Marell   "It is best to tackle with trust. Because if I trust my people that they will strive for the best solutions, they will come to me for guidance, then it's easier for me to decide without having all the facts." - Susanne Marell   "Your North Star is of even bigger importance. Because if you have the direction clear where you would like to go, then at least you have a kind of decision corridor, even if you do not all have the facts and things are changing." - Susanne Marell   "When we just focus on Zoom teams and just checking where we stand with our business, we will lose so many things. Now we have a full scope of questions adjusted to the person I talked to." - Susanne Marell Connect with Susanne Marell:   LinkedIn https://www.hkstrategies.com/  Facebook Instagram Twitter   Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

#Listening to the Pulse of your #Organization and your #Team in a #VUCA world with Susanne Marell

Being a leader in a Vuca (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) is not easy and according to Susanne Marell, requires listening. And listening takes different forms. Listening to the market and customer trends, listening to my team needs, listening to individual needs and listening to feedback from my team, not to mention the questions that arise.   How can we listen in a way that gives us energy to think strategically and create success in a company, even through challenging mergers and acquisitions.   Susanne Marell is CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies in Germany. Before joining H+K she was Managing Director at JP KOM and prior to that she served as CEO of Edelman for six years, overseeing the acquisition and merger with ergo Kommunikation.   She started her career as a consultant with the agency Kohtes & Klewes (now Ketchum). In the following years, Marell worked for companies such as Schering, Hoechst and Aventis CropScience. As Head of Communications and Market Services, her responsibilities included strategic communications support for merger and acquisition activities. In 2000, she moved to the chemical company Cognis and, as Vice President Corporate Communications, took over the management of worldwide corporate and sustainability communications. Following the acquisition of Cognis by BASF in 2010, Susanne was responsible for global brand management as Vice President Corporate Brand Management at BASF in Ludwigshafen.   Susanne is a certified systemic consultant and change expert. She has many years of international experience in communications, marketing and sustainability, both on the corporate and agency side. In addition, she is a co-founder of the German network of "Global Women in PR" and has built up the initiative "Next Gen Leadership" as a member of the extended board.   In this episode, Susanne Marell shares how continuous feedback is needed to be a great leader; it helps you listen to make a more objective assessment while keeping you on the pulse of the organization, what your team needs and how you can move together towards a common goal with market trends top of mind.   She points out that psychological safety, where people are provided a safe space to be heard without fear of consequences, ensures open and honest feedback.    She also highlights the importance of leaders understanding market and customer trends first when leading teams. She calls this an outside-in approach so that you can understand the bigger picture around what you want to achieve by listening to all the stakeholders.   "I say a leader needs feedback to be a good leader."  - Susanne Marell Listen IN Notes:   01:10 - The first time she experienced being a communication practitioner and becoming a good leader 02:40 - Only by listening in a new business model will you be able to understand the context and how things play together 05:14 - How listening supported her leadership role as being part of an integration team 9:25 - To better understand what is behind any criticism and feedback: You must learn how to frame things, dig into the details, and learn the context of what you put in your story line,. If they [colleagues] are positive towards you, they will  stress test your vision. 13:57 - Feedback being the highest value for a leader 16:46 - Providing psychological safety in leadership sessions 19:13 - Going in front of people [employees and investors] even in uncertain times and you don't know all the answers 21:28 - What it means to be a leader in a VUCA world 23:13 - Focusing your team on the outside in 24:56 - Giving a Northstar is just as important as giving people the 100 criteria 27:08 - What does being agile in today's world mean? 37:50 - He who poses the questions is the one who leads 43:28 - One listening style: Posing questions on a 360 degree angle 45:23 - Having a full scope of questions beyond Zoom meetings avoids risks in losing so  many things 47:48 - Finding the right way to be on the pulse of your organization, of your teams, and of  your decisions 49:43 - Creative ways you can do where voices are heard outside of work environment 51:38 - Is listening agreeing to what people say? Key Takeaways:    "In all of these projects, where I was part of integration teams, I simply had to listen very well first to give a good recommendation about how we could integrate teams. But also to develop the vision of why these companies work together and put this vision in a storyline, which would be understood by all people globally." - Susanne Marell   "Feedback is something which is of the highest value for a leader. If I'm getting feedback, this helps me to develop, but it also helps me to give a better analysis of where my team stands where my plans stand." - Susanne Marell   "The positive part of listening is you get feedback." - Susanne Marell   "Leading in uncertain times simply means that you have to navigate your team through those times as best as possible, even if you don't always have the answers." - Susanne Marell   "It is best to tackle with trust. Because if I trust my people that they will strive for the best solutions, they will come to me for guidance, then It's easier for me to decide without having all the facts." - Susanne Marell   "Your North Star is of even bigger importance. Because if you have the direction clear where you would like to go, then at least you have a kind of decision corridor, even if you do not all have the facts and things are changing." - Susanne Marell   "When we just focus on Zoom teams and just checking where we stand with our business, we will lose so many things. Now we have a full scope of questions adjusted to the person I talked to." - Susanne Marell Connect with Susanne Marell:   LinkedIn https://www.hkstrategies.com/  Facebook Instagram Twitter   Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn 

Hello listeners and listening catalyzers. This is Raquel Ark, and welcome to Listen IN. Listening can be a superpower in surprising ways. Join me, and be inspired by listening researchers and professionals putting listening into practice beyond what we typically think. We share experiences, ideas, and resources that can help you be more effective at work and at home. Enjoy listening in!

hubhopper

Listen IN

hubhopper