Prioritize Listening
If I could pick ONE THING to immediately grant to everyone I teach, it would be powerful listening skills. It is the secret super power of every successful communicator.
Listening well creates competitive advantage. It creates audience understanding. It helps you refine your message. It provides critical information and insight. It demonstrates respect and builds trust. It builds credibility.
So, in the pursuit of all of these things, focus on the following:
Fully Engage: Put away your cell phone and shut down your email. Truly focus on what is happening in this conversation. Ask questions, and listen closely to the answers. Be a thoughtful listener.
Take Notes: For your listening to really pay off, you need to be able to remember what you’ve heard. A written log of a conversation is an invaluable resource as you move forward to analyze what you’ve learned, and every study ever done confirms this.
Repeat Key Information: When the conversation is over, review what you’ve heard, whether by going over your notes, discussing the call with colleagues or (in certain really important situations) writing up a synopsis memo.
Ask Questions: Questions help you create deeper understanding. In fact, preparing a few questions in advance can be helpful; that way, you can really listen to the answers rather than thinking about what you should ask next. And recognizing what Tony Salvador at Intel calls “listening bias” can help make you more receptive to new ideas and fresh insights and better align you with your audience.
Communication is not a one-way street. It’s not just about broadcasting our own opinions: It’s about exchanging ideas and learning from one another. By listening well, you show your commitment to a respectful exchange. And your audience will be more likely to return that respect to you.
Which brings us to the other side of the equation: What can you do to cultivate active listening in your audience? It’s more than just crafting a gripping message, although that certainly helps. Once you’ve set the tone by demonstrating your own active listening, how else can you set up your audience to hear what you want to say? Often, it’s very simple: Change the environment.
Pick the meeting place accordingly: Do you want people to think creatively? Consider moving to a new space or making sure that everyone sits somewhere new. If you want the focus to be on your slide deck, try to set up the room so that you can engage with the audience easily while keeping your screen in easy eyeshot. Think about the space, the ambiance and how you want your audience to feel as you speak.
Gauge the energy level, and plan ahead: If you need to meet first thing in the morning or right after lunch, bring coffee. Be aware of when people’s energy is most likely to lag, and try to offset it with additions to the meeting. And bear this in mind as you craft your message: If people have heavy eyes, they might need more attention-grabbers within your presentation to stay alert.
Engage from the start: Think about sending a quick introduction to the audience, so they enter the room prepared to address your topic. Show your audience that you understand what is interesting to them about your topic, and that you don’t plan to waste their time, and they’ll be more likely to listen.
Listening creates all sorts of opportunities and advantages. Make it a priority.
Have a great day!
