I used to work in computers and one day my job was to wire up some computers in an HR training lab for new hires so I was there all day.
They had a curtain dividing the large room and im the other half they were holding a training class. The first class of the morning was “”How to handle customer complaints by listening and making them feel heard, then ignoring them.”
The second class of the day was full of middle managers on “How to handle employee complaints by listening and making them feel heard, then ignoring them.”
The last class of the day was for executives on “How to handle management complaints by listening to them so they feel heard, then ignoring them.”
At the end of the day the HR trainers were talking about the day and the owner’s son came in and listened to what HR had to say about the training and said “I appreciate you guys doing this training. Its really important. I hear you and want you to know Im really listening and hear your feedback. Be sure to send me an email recapping as Im out of town with my wife and family for a month starting tomorrow.”
HR thanked him profusely.
That taught me a lesson I will never forget as long as I live.