Why listening matters

Speaking up about your concerns is important, but listening leads to action.

How often have you decided to talk about something but changed your mind when you felt you weren’t being listened to?

Who’s listening and who’s speaking affects where a discussion goes and what comes from it. Speaking and listening aren’t one-way. They’re circular. The way a listener approaches a conversation or concern impacts how effective it is. 

Being open to hearing uncomfortable opinions, facts, or perspectives can help uncover what someone raising a concern or issue really wants. Listening defensively, with an end goal in mind before hearing from the other person, can close off the chance of a satisfying conclusion.

When someone doesn’t listen, there’s no opportunity to learn. And listening doesn’t just mean hearing words. It’s about listening and looking out for what’s not being said, too. This helps with understanding the wider context. What’s not being said might even be the real heart of the matter.

People share concerns in many ways. Maybe you’re confident and happy to tell your line manager directly. Do you drop hints, hoping that someone gets the message and deals with it? Or do you say nothing and hope someone else raises it instead? 

In any case, are your concerns heard? If not, perhaps you could share them in a different way, by telling someone else or using another reporting channel. Reporting confidentially through CIRAS might help you if you prefer to protect your identity.

A company can show they’re listening by sharing what they’re already doing in relation to the concern and any next steps they’re taking. When you use CIRAS, you’ll find out what’s happened when we send you the company’s response. We always make sure you get a response.

If you have something to say, make sure you’re heard. Make the right call to tell someone.

Did you know?

Raising concerns helps to build industry knowledge so that people can ‘listen’ as well as learn in the future by looking back at past reports.