원온원을 위한 리더의 5가지 경청 방법

This is the absolute core of leadership. Many leaders think, “I’m listening well enough,” but team members often say, “I’m not sure if my leader really understands what I’m saying.” Today, I want to share why a leader’s listening is so important in 1-on-1 meetings, and practical ways to actually become a better listener. Good listening skills are a incredibly powerful tool to boost your team’s engagement, performance, and trust.

What is true listening?
Listening isn’t just about hearing the words. It’s an active effort to fully understand the other person’s thoughts, feelings, intentions, and context. When a leader genuinely tries to listen, team members feel psychological safety, trust, and the freedom to express themselves, leading to much deeper conversations.

Why is listening so important?
• You can accurately understand your team’s worries and emotions.
• You can quickly build trust during 1-on-1 meetings.
• “Understanding the person” happens before just trying to solve the problem.
• Team members become more proactive and take more ownership.

A leader who listens well naturally brings out their team’s hidden potential.

5 Ways to Be a Better Listener

Give Your Full Attention (Presence)
A leader’s listening starts with focus. If your phone is buzzing, your messenger is popping up, and your head is full of to-do lists, you are sending a clear message to your team: “I am not focusing on you.”
You can show you are fully present by doing these things
• Close your laptop screen before the 1-on-1 starts.
• Don’t touch your phone or let your eyes wander.
• Make eye contact and say, “Please, keep going.”
"Presence" means being completely focused on the person in front of you right now. It doesn’t just mean physically ‘being in the room’; it means your mind and attention are fully directed at them. In leadership and coaching, presence is the most important starting point for listening. When a leader shows true presence in a 1-on-1, the team member immediately feels, “I am being respected.”

Stop Judging and Understand First (Non-judgment)
Listening is not the time to judge what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. You need to put your judgments aside for a moment so your team member can comfortably open up. Show curiosity and try asking questions like these:
• “What made you choose that option in that situation?”
• “What were you worried about at that moment?”

Listen to Their Emotions (Listening for Emotion)
A leader needs to hear the emotions behind the words. The moment a person feels their emotions are understood and validated, they start sharing on a deeper level. Try acknowledging their feelings like this
• “It sounds like you felt a lot of pressure.”
• “Did you feel a bit frustrated at that time?”

Organize Their Thoughts for Them (Reflecting & Summarizing)
Summarizing and reflecting back is a powerful way to say, “I hear you perfectly.” It also helps the team member organize their own thoughts more clearly. Try reflecting like this:
• “So, to summarize, you’re saying it was hard to prioritize because the schedule was so tight, right?”
• “In other words, you feel we need to coordinate better in how we work together going forward?”

Expand the Conversation with Open-Ended Questions
경청은 듣는 것으로 끝나지 않습니다. 좋은 리더는 열린 질문을 통해 팀원 스스로 생각하게 만듭니다.
• “How do you view this situation?”
• “How would you like to handle this next time?”
• “What kind of support do you need the most right now?”

A leader who listens well helps the team grow. When a leader opens their mind and listens first, team members feel safe and start sharing their real stories. A good listening leader doesn’t talk a lot. Instead, they make their team members feel this way:
“Talking to this person makes me feel at ease, and helps me see which way I should go.”

Next time you talk with your team members, try listening to their emotions and reflecting their words back to them. You will be amazed at how much deeper your conversations will become!