Did you know that we spend 25 percent of our waking hours listening?
Are we making the most out of it, and what’s more important, what are we missing?
If social media hasn’t taught us anything else, its made it clear that people want to be heard. Listening makes us better people whether it’s listening to our kids, friends, coworkers or customers. We all fall prey to interrupting someone to make a point. We’re so busy thinking about what we’re going to say instead of listening to what’s being said and responding appropriately.
From a leadership point of view, listening is the most important skill a strong leader can have.
In the business world, listening spurs conversations which leads to resolutions and probably more sales. We need to make sure our salesmen and customer service folks are honing these skills.
According to an article in American Express‘ open forum, the article cites a study by the American Listening Association that only 2 percent of all professionals obtain any training to improve their listening skills.
As the landscape continues to change, prospective new customers armed with the internet and social media now are coming to the table with a whole nother set of questions which we may have to think about before we answer. Truly listening to customers can lead to more business!
Here a few listening tips:
- Focus on what people are saying instead of formulating a response before they finish
- Interpret what you hear
- Clarify what you heard
- Ask open-ended questions to engage deeper conversation
- Validate what you heard
Just because you listen doesn’t mean you have to agree. Good listening spurs good conversations and that’s what we’re all looking for.