As a leader or manager, the respect that you earn from your colleagues and the rest of the organization is critical to effectively perform your job. You are also looked to as a role model and a person who many people in the organization want recognition from. However, if you're perceived as unapproachable or close-minded, this can greatly diminish your effectiveness as a leader.

One of the most powerful resources you have is your time an attention. Make sure when you are in conversations that you are really "in" the conversation by avoid distractions and actively listening to the other person.

During conflict situations, try to use language that reduces defensiveness and be aware of how your non-verbal behavior is perceived by others. It has just as much – if not more – impact than your verbal behavior.

Below are three tips to help you improve your openness to dialogue and communicate more effectively within your organization. [click on the images below to download the full PDF version.]

Give your employees feedback on important skills like openness to dialogue. 

The ThinkWise 360˚ Survey gives your employees a clear picture of their strengths and opportunities for improvement and links them directly to learning resources. Your employees will be more engaged in their own development and you'll create an alignment between the organizational strategy and vision and your people.   

Click the button below to download a 360˚ Survey sample report to see how easy behavioral skill development can be.