Achieve True Connection By Listening

If you are to make a list of the country’s most influential people, who would you include?  For sure, President Obama would make that list.  So would Warren Buffett and perhaps Steve Jobs.  You could argue that Sarah Palin to be on it depending on whether you’re a fan or not.  Now there’s one name that you may or may not have considered:  Oprah Winfrey.

Her success was hugely attributed to her ability to talk.  But Oprah did more of her share of listening.  The application of her ability to listen is obvious on her television show  She is constantly observing and listening to find issues to address on the air.  When she brings experts, celebrities, and authors on her show, she genuinely listens to what they have to say.  Oprah’s listening ability has rewarded her with incredible success and influence.

To improve your listening, consider the following:

1.  Schedule time with your network. Spend time listening to your followers, customers, competitors, and mentors.  Make sure that you give enough attention to all four groups on a regular basis.

2.  Meet people on their turf. Find common ground with people.  The next time you meet with a customer or an employee, ask at least three questions about him as a person.  It’s not all about business.  Seek a common ground to build your connection with him.

3.  Practice listening between the lines. Do you really pay close attention to people and what they have to say?  Do more than just grab onto facts.  Start listening not only for words, but also for feelings, meanings, and undercurrents.

A lot of voices are clamoring out there for your attention.  As you think about how to spend your listening time, keep in mind that you have two purposes for listening:  to connect with people and to learn.

“I remind myself every morning:  nothing I say this day will teach me anything.  So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.” – Larry King

Be an Effective Communicator

Okay, “communication” is a very broad topic – impossible to cover in depth in a few paragraphs. But there are several proven and practical strategies you can immediately apply to enhance your overall effectiveness:

Use Less Words

After writing a correspondence, presentation script, web copy, blog, etc, edit it with a goal of eliminating 20-30% of the words. It’s easy to find unnecessary words if you take time to really look.

Use Visuals

Be a creative communicator by using props, pictures, stories, etc. to convey your message.

Watch Your Language

Try to avoid acronyms, jargon, technical terms, ambiguous words (a little, a lot, very, really, etc.).  Don’t use words that the entire audience may not understand or often have different meanings to different people.

Avoid Rambling

Narrow your communications down to no more than three key points.  Most people have short attention spans.  Make sure you convey your message succinctly and clearly.

“How well we communicate is determined not by how well we say things, but how well we are understood.” – Andrew Grove