Ollie Craddock: Listen to Your Employees

Communicast: A Communication Skills Podcast

Listen to your employees. It seems like common sense, but it isn’t common practice. In this episode, I chat with Ollie Craddock, CEO of Rungway, a firm disrupting the employee listening space. We discuss how to avoid blind spots, strategies to be more present, and the implications of the recent shifts in the workplace for leaders.

I hope you enjoy.

Additional Resources:

► Follow Communispond on LinkedIn for more communication skills tips:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/communispond

► Connect with Scott D'Amico on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdamico/

► Connect with Ollie on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/craddocko/

► Subscribe to the podcast:

https://communicast.simplecast.com/

► Learn more about Communispond:

https:www.communispond.com

KeyMoments:

The employee listening space [00:02:12] Discussion about traditional methods of employee listening and the role of Runway in disrupting this space.

The importance of listening in communication [00:06:47] The significance of listening in effective communication and the role it plays in leadership roles.

Leaders listening to feedback [00:08:44] Questioning whether leaders are actively listening to feedback from their employees and utilizing tools and technology to gather feedback from across the organization.

The blind spots and disconnection [00:08:58] Discusses the blind spots that occur when senior level people focus on processes and systems, while employees care about different things, leading to a disconnection.

The importance of storytelling in leadership [00:10:49] Explores how leadership has shifted from charismatic and visionary leadership to storytelling and creating excitement about the company's direction.

Passion and alignment in communication [00:15:26] Highlights the importance of passion and alignment between what is said, how it is said, and how it is expressed nonverbally in effective communication.

The importance of hiring and developing great people [00:18:35] Speaker 2 discusses the importance of hiring great people, developing them, and allowing them to work independently.

The power of being present and attentive in communication [00:19:12] Speaker 1 talks about the impact of leaders who are fully present and attentive during conversations, emphasizing the value of active listening.

Challenges of staying focused in virtual meetings [00:20:48] Speaker 2 discusses the challenge of staying focused and avoiding distractions in virtual meetings, highlighting the prevalence of multitasking and lack of full engagement.

The shift to remote and hybrid work [00:27:22] Insights on how the shift to remote and hybrid work has impacted leadership.

Opportunities to accelerate growth [00:27:22] The importance of adapting communication style to the changes in the organization to seize growth opportunities.

Improving communication skills [00:27:22] Encouragement to subscribe to Communicate podcast to continue learning from guests and the value of leaving a rating or review.