Company News
Principles of Listening, Communications, Relatedness, Trust, Partnership and Collaboration
by DW Green — May 20, 2010
Last October I attended The Heart of Leadership workshop in the Seattle area with Ryan Joy, VP of Creative Services, and Erica Hutchinson, Director of Communications. The three of us attended a second workshop, The Heart of Making a Difference, in February of this year. Both workshops were incredible experiences. Among the many things we learned, improving our listening and communication skills were huge, on both a personal and professional level.
In early May the DW Green Company had a two-day website review meeting with a client. As it turned out the individuals representing the client web initiative team had also participated in the same leadership workshop. It was one of the best meetings I have ever participated in. 
It’s amazing how deep and rewarding a business conversation can be when two companies are grounded in the principles of listening, communication, relatedness, trust, partnership and collaboration.
This same client invests heavily in employee training. Training that goes beyond basic job skills, like checking, bagging, merchandising and safety, with leadership training that improves listening and communication skills. The value and benefit of listening, communication and relatedness knowledge cannot be overstated. After all, relationships are what life is all about, and improving personal relationship skills adds meaning, joy and fullness to our interactions with others.
As a small business owner, I believe that investing in the personal development of my staff is the single most important expenditure I can make for the long-term success of my company. I also understand that controlling expenses is critical. What expenses can be reduced to “free up” resources to advance the personal development of our employees? Many of the things that matter most defy measurement. When we enter the place of human nature and human actions, we are on shaky ground when we require measurable results as a condition of action.
What are your thoughts regarding personal development training for your management team? Have you participated in a business-to-business meeting that was grounded in the principles of trust, collaboration and open communication?
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