Friday, August 05, 2005

Communicating is more about listening than speaking

Management Myth #7: The Talkers are Competent

Don't let someone's ability to speak well confuse your judgment of their technical abilities. (And if you're not a technical manager, learn the product and how the product is created so you can have reasonable conversations about how your staff is working.) Listen to what people say in your one-on-ones. See what they accomplish and when. See when they are stuck. Use this kind of data to determine how well a person is succeeding. Then you'll know if all they have is hot air, or if they are competent.

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