The Lost Art Of Listening 

Focus outward. If asking questions, giving compliments and listening are not your strengths, it’s time to practice! 

Take notes – write down some good opening questions and general compliments you can practice making while meeting and networking with others. 

Listen without thinking of your response and simply take a genuine interest in what others have to say. You will make them feel important and they will want to communicate with you again in the future. 

While communication is a two-way system, it is not always necessary to communicate verbally. 

Especially when learning about someone new, listening and other forms of non-verbal communication, such as eye-contact, head nodding, body language, smiling and so on, is often received more positively than listening to immediately reply with a personal story or reference. 

Most of us are so focused on what we are thinking about, what we’re going to say next or want to say in response, that we lose sight of the importance of listening to what others have to say. We lose sight of how our never-ending words and lack of effective listening affects other people.

Take time to listen and learn about others and they will then in return take a genuine interest in you as well. Sometimes the two-way construct confuses people into thinking both parties need to be continuously talking back and forth. 

Listening is a critical skill in business and personal life that is significantly under-practiced. If you listen with greater focus, you will most likely find it easier to respond with more thoughtful questions and insight, and in turn, improve your social network & circle of friends. 

Katya Lerner | Buzword-Consulting.com 

Get People Buzzing About Your Business. 

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