Reading Reflection 2

It's about that time to continue to reflect on my reading of The Engaged Leader : A Strategy for your Digital Transformation. I have had a very busy week, so I did not get as much reading completed as I wanted, but some progress is better than none.

When I have to take time away from a reading, I will usually go back and reread the last 2 pages from the previous chapter, and I cannot believe that I did not mention the last page in my previous post. So far that has been my most favorite page in the book. It states "Being an engaged leader in the digital era means knowing what your goals are and what tools to use to achieve them. It also means being brave and bold enough to step into the fray: listen to followers, share yourself with them, and engage them directly in new and amazing ways." Beautifully said! It is all about having a plan and demonstrating the courage to get there!

In the reading this time listening was the main focus. It was entitled Listening at a Scale. Too many people in today world listen to respond rather than listen to understand. This chapter has taken a moment to really break down what it means to listen. Now this doesn't mean literally listening, but rather paying attention to what is being said either directly or indirectly. "The key is that you listen with your eyes to many people all at once, anytime, and from anyplace." How can one listen with their eyes? Well, they have to be involved with digital tools and resources.  David Thodey, the CEO of Australia's telecom giant Telstra, is the model of listening with our eyes. He gets up early every morning and reads what is being said about his company. He pays particular attention to his enterprise social network on Yammer to review the overnight activity. He isn't just listening to fancy critics, but what real people with real problems are speaking about. He not only looks over these, but will usually post discussion in response to keep them moving along. Thodey is engaged and active in listening therefore giving him the knowledge needed to make better decisions.

When reading different post, it is important to remain aware of the source. Find a small group that you trust the most and rely on them. These should not be your best friends, but someone who is honest and trustworthy. It is also a great idea to follow specifics. Twitter is a great source to use for this because you can search a specific # and filter comments only based around specific ideas.

The last step in listening is assigning guardrails when listening. It is important to not have any distractions. If distractions are present, listening is not the main priority and listen will not last long.

Overall, I am really enjoying this book! I hope to really stay on pace or actually finish early! I enjoy reading the material and seeing how I am or can use the idea in my own life!