Are you a good listener?

Listening skills are an essential prerequisite to any business relationship. Are you a good listener?

What do good listeners do that makes them good listeners? They:

• probe for clarification.
• listen for a story, and for unvoiced emotions.
• empathize.
• summarize well.
• get rid of distractions while listening.
• keep the client talking by asking for more details that help them understand.
• look (not stare) at the client as the client speaks.
• encourage by nodding their head or giving a slight smile.
• ask how they might be of help.
• are aware of and control their body movement (they don’t move around, shake their legs, fidget with objects, etc.)

On the other hand, good listeners don’t:

• Interrupt.
• Respond too soon.
• Editorialize in midstream.
• Jump to conclusions.
• Judge the speaker.
• Try to solve the problem too quickly.
• Take calls or interruptions in the course of a meeting.

Can you improve your listening skills? If this is a struggle, reach out, we can help.

Michael Shapiro, E Group Partners, Inc.