New research from organizational psychologists reveals that active listening, not talking over others, is key to effective meetings. Close to 1 billion meetings occur daily worldwide, and CEOs spend nearly three-quarters of their workdays in them. Meeting science—a growing field of study—shows that meetings with clear goals and structure fulfill human needs for connection and cooperation.
Researchers use surveys and analysis of video recordings to study meeting dynamics. Experiments show that leaders who attentively listen to team responses improve team performance, while leaders who ask questions but don't listen back undermine it. In virtual meetings, the habit of muting when not speaking often kills active listening entirely.
Meeting leaders must balance leading by listening rather than dominating. The findings underscore a simple truth: less talking, more listening makes meetings far more productive.
Source: Ars Technica · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing