Polished communication skills are a feature of effective relationship building between IT and the business, but what listening practices have most strengthened your relationships with other teams and business partners?

Using radical candour really helps keep conversations honest but caring. Another thing that works well for me is being open about both the good stuff and the tough times to keep things transparent. Setting up an OKR framework also helps everyone stay aligned with the business goals, so we’re all on the same page.
Plus, sticking to a “listening play pack” strategy—like focusing on the person talking, reflecting on what they’re saying, and making sure you understand—really boosts clarity and keeps the team vibe strong. 🚀
Stay Happy 🙂

Active listening without being judgmental, with open mind inquiry approach. Trust is built overtime and when business partners value your contribution to automate or ease their business processes proactively which actually your role as an Enabler, then that will definitely strengthen your relationship.

I work to be mindful of the three levels of listening, and I practice active listening.  Jake Calabrese of Helping Improve explains it better than I:

https://helpingimprove.com/remote-listening-techniques/

I think an attitude of humility and joint problem-solving is more important than specific practices or techniques,  but here are a few things I've found helpful:

1.  Show up prepared to listen.  That means doing your homework on the domain before engaging with business stakeholders and throughout and even after the engagement.  If your stakeholders are members of a professional association, join that professional association.   If your stakeholders are APICS or ASQ certified, study the Body of Knowledge (BOK) documents from those organizations and consider pursuing certification yourself.   Be intimately familiar with the regulations and standards that apply to your stakeholders.   

2.  Never ask "why."   "Why do you do it that way?" can sound judgmental.   "How does that help you to do X?" or "help me to understand the importance of that" are less confrontational and can elicit better conversations.

3.  Staple yourself to an order.   That's actually the title of an old (but classic) Harvard Business Review article, and it's still really good advice.   Walk through the entire process, listening, observing, and taking notes as you go.

4. Brief back.    You don't want to overuse this, but for key processes or points, re-state what you've been told back to your interlocutor in your own words.   This can avoid misunderstandings and also prompt key points that may have been overlooked.