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Effective Listening: Part One
| Guest post by: Patrick T. Malone |
Article Overview: “I listen fine. It’s everyone else who has a problem.” Unknown, unsuccessful, entrepreneur One of the cardinal rules of business is listen to your customers and most businesses hear their customers. However, only a few successfully interpret what their customers are saying. So the issue is not listening to “hear” but listening to “understand”.
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Free Download - Commitment or Agreement? By Patrick T. Malone |
Effective Listening: Part One
"I listen fine. It's everyone else who has a problem."
Unknown, unsuccessful, entrepreneur
One of the cardinal rules of business is listen to your customers and most businesses hear their customers. However, only a few successfully interpret what their customers are saying. So the issue is not listening to "hear" but listening to "understand".
The first step is an awareness of how people make business decisions. For the longest time business decision making was considered to be different than any other form of decision making. Business decision making was thought to involve the processing of information in a logical, emotion-free environment to obtain the correct answer which always maximized the cost-benefit payout.
It wasn't until the early 70's and the work of Herb Simon, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, that the misconception was corrected. Simon clearly pointed out that business decisions are impacted by the facts, our logical side, AND how we feel about those facts, our emotional side. In fact as the decision grows in importance the more emotion dominates that the process. It is the overlap of these two spheres of influence that create an attitude. That attitude produces a choice. So business decision making is the pursuit of that which gives us the greatest level of confidence.
Consider your choice of a laptop computer for your business. You probably compared the technical aspects of a number of laptops. Which one did you choose? You bought the one that you felt confident was right for your business and that confidence is the ultimate emotion.
The second step then is an awareness of how people communicate their decisions. Start by considering communication to have a value of 100%. When we communicate in person how much of that 100% is in the words we choose to use? Most people believe 30-50% of our communication is in our words and yet behavioral scientists tell us it is actually less than 10%. The bulk, 90+%, is in our voice and our body language.
Most moms will tell you that their infant cries differently when they are hungry, sleepy or need their diaper changed. When my mother used to call me in from playing outside, I knew just by the way she said "Patrick" whether the request was urgent or I had 10 more minutes of play.
So successful communication requires that we pay more attention to "how" things are said rather than "what" is said. When we pay attention to the "how" the "what" becomes clearer.
These are just two of the hallmarks of good listeners. In our next installment I will give you a business tool that will build on this information and help you become a better listener in your business and personal life.
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Article Tags: Emotional intelligence, Listening
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About the Author: Patrick T. Malone RSS for Patrick T.'s articles - Visit Patrick T.'s website Patrick Malone, a Senior Partner with The PAR Group, has more than 35 years experience in operations, customer service, and sales management. As a key member of the PAR team, Patrick has trained and consulted throughout the world with a wide range of organizations including The American Cancer Society, Banfield-The Pet Hospital, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, DuPont, Ft. Dodge Animal Health, Hewlett-Packard, International Securities Exchange, Novell, Sensient Technologies, Siemens Medical, SOLAE, The United Way, and Verizon Wireless. A frequent speaker, he has presented at the Frontline Forum at American School of International Management; Argosy University; the business schools at Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University; ASTD; numerous Universities; PMI; Association of Information Technology Professionals; Healthcare Businesswomen's Association. Educated at John Carroll University, Patrick is a member of the CEO Action Group of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Legislative Subcommittee, Small Business Growth Council and the Professional Services Executive Roundtable. Patrick is the co-author of the new business book Cracking the Code to Leadership. Click here to visit Patrick T.'s website   Effective Networking Businesspersonal Success Coaching The Six Step Process Practical Tips for Making Prospecting a WinWin Proposition Leading for Commitment Three Biggest Sales Challenges |
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He addresses our inner life and the way it can change our effectiveness home and at work. There are corporations who have taken this model and effectively molded their business around it.
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