Step Up Results

Listen. Really listen.

Do you really listen or are you concentrating on what you’re going to say next?

To really listen means you’re don’t focus on what you’re going to say next.  Rather, you focus on the customer and what he is saying.

This is valuable to the customer because it shows you are concerned about his well-being.  It’s also a vital part of building rapport and trust.

Listening is difficult for many of us because we are often so eager to tell the customer all about our wonderful product or service.  We want so much to make sure we say the right thing at the right time that we can’t help but work on our spiel in our heads while the other person is talking.  Often, it’s too late before we realize that we don’t have a clue what the other person just said.  He handed us the keys to the kingdom and we didn’t realize it.

Here are some guidelines for effective listening:

1. Quiet inner chatter.
2. Focus on the other person (focus outward on them rather than inward on you).
3. Let the other person talk without interrupting him.
4. Leave “space” in your conversation.  When the person comes to the end of a statement, pause for a few seconds before responding.
5. Listen for the story.
6. Probe for clarification.
7. Reflect.
8. Summarize.
9. Validate or reflect back their feelings and statements.
10. Refrain from giving advice or opinion or trying to solve the problem.

Identify 2 areas of focus for improving your listening skills.  How will you practice these new skills?