How well do you know your team members as individuals?

Our reader poll today asks: How well do you know your team members as individuals?

– Very well — I know a great deal about them: 42.9%
– Well — I know a few things about them: 47.58%
– Not well — I don’t know very much about them: 8.01%
– Not at all — I know pretty much nothing about them: 1.5%

The more you know. It’s a simple premise – the better you know your people, the better you’re able to lead them. While it’s great to know superficial things about them, knowing and understanding their motivations, feelings, aspirations, and histories can go a long way. At the heart of knowing them better is listening with both ears and letting go of your agenda. If you’re only hearing but not listening, you’re likely to miss a great opportunity to lead them more effectively.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.