Listening to others

One of the most powerful lessons I've learned as a leader at Chick-fil-A is the skill of listening.

I have been blessed with the ability to learn by listening, and this proves very challenging because I don't have perfect hearing. For those who know me, my nickname can sometimes be Austin "What did you say?" Watts.

Even though I have a hearing deficiency, most of what I do at work and how I respond is because I've learned to listen well. When a guest tells me they are cold, we change the temperature. When a team member complains about how hard a cleaning task is, I know that we have someone else in the restaurant encouraging them to clean. Listening well is a skill, if you are able to keep your ear close to the ground, then you can learn to see what's coming before it happens.

A wise man once said a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Learn to listen, and if you are hearing similar things from multiple people, pay attention!

What's next

Steve Higgenbothom said "Excuses abound when determination is lacking."

I said, I need to share this thought with my readers. I have people outside and inside my work who have used excuses before. I've used them a time or two when I stopped looking for answers to my questions. 

Can you find the why behind Steve's statement? Why did you have an excuse in the first place? And did you quit or give up instead of looking for a new solution?