Career News 24/7: INSTANT MBA: Just Be Quiet And Listen To What Your Employees Have To Say

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Today's advice comes from Patrick Scheuermann, director of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in an interview with The Washington Post.

"I believe that when employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas and giving their feedback, they also feel a sense of empowerment and professional courtesy in the workplace. That snowballs into a culture where people ultimately say, “This is where I want to work.”"

Scheuermann, who oversees rocket propulsion testing at NASA, says he encourages new ideas and different perspectives. He prioritizes team building activities even outside the workplace, by planning service days during company retreats, for example.

But if you want your employees to give input, you've got to be willing to listen.

"It’s a skill I’ve really tried to hone, in part by just forcing myself to be quiet. What I’ve found is that a lot of the issues exist because of a misunderstanding or lack of communication."

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