uthentic (Rosen, 1996, p. 75). Deep listening skills are essential to build trust. Leaders engage in conversations for learning, seeking to deepen understanding, clarify standpoints, and find new ways of solving problems (Rosen, p. 85). There are 4 levels of listening according to Steven Covey: (1) Ignoring - this occurs when we are not really listening, but rather pretending to listen by saying "Yeah, Uh-huh, Right," or other similar phrases (2) Selective Listening - where we only hear parts of the conversation (3) Attentive listening - paying attention and focusing energy on the words coming from the other persons mouth (4) Empathic Listening - actually listening with intent to understand (1989, p. 240). Leaders practice the fourth level, empathetic listening, because they seek to understand instead of thinking about "how to respond to, or one-up, the person talking" (Rosen, 1996). According to communications experts, only 10 percent of our communication is represented by the words we say. Another 30 percent is represented by our sounds, and 60 percent by our body language. When using empathetic listening, leaders listen with their ears, as well as their heart, eyes, sense, and intuition (Covey, 1989). Employees recognize a leaders genuine concern for what they have to say. Deep listening, benevolence, dependability, genuineness, and predictability are crucial skills and characteristics that leaders use to build trust. Leaders Encourage and Harvest CreativityManaging the process of creativity is one of the most important elements for success and survival as individuals and organizations strive to adapt to the accelerating changes that are occurring in business on a global level (Dilts, 1999). First, leaders discover their own creative potential, allowing them to release the creativity of others. They help employees find their talents, and link those talents to the task at hand (Rosen, 1996). Leaders understand that people are born wi...
