Everyone wants to be heard.
Whether they are speaking.
Or through their actions.
“When you have been listened to … you have a full measure of empowerment.”
~ Paul Shoemaker
Become a Better Listener
When you listen more you will become better at everything you do. This is also true if you are a professional speaker. Your ability to listen will help you in more ways than you can imagine. By taking the time to become a better listener you will stand out in your career.
By learning how to become a better listener you will invariably find that there is a lot you don’t know. You will become better at being able to discern nuances. The more you practice the better you will become. By becoming a better listener you will also become more productive. How? Because you won’t have to keep asking people to repeat themselves.
We can learn a lot by listening.
Whether you are listening to others, listening to yourself, or just listening to the sounds that surround you. You can learn a lot by listening.
Why Listen More?
You already know what you know. You cannot learn more unless you are processing, listening and ingesting new content. This is not to say that you cannot learn by thinking to yourself. Of course you do this all the time. When you do this you are listening … listening to yourself.
When you are listening to yourself you are still listening. You are Processing Ideas … tumbling them around and around … until you have an epiphany.
Something From Your Grandmother
This is an old saying that might need to be said, heard and heeded more often today.
You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in proportion.
We can get so caught up in trying to be heard that we forget to listen.
Listen Up
Here are three tips to become a better listener:
- Set a GOAL: To become a Better and More Active Listener
- Talk Once Less
- Ask One More Question
It’s not as simple as it sounds (pun intended), but with practice and time you can become a better listener.
A few more Practical Points Becoming an Active Listener:
- Make it tactical. If you have a thought … write it down … don’t blurt it out. If someone else says it … great … move on.
- Pay attention to people you consider to be great listeners. Observe them, learn from them.
- Be Present – Don’t Use the space when you Are Not Talking as filler while you wait to get your next point into the conversation.
Have you heard me? I hope so. Now, go out and listen up. You may be surprised at what you hear.
