Become a Good Listener

Being a good listener is a very important skill. You have probably heard the saying, 'the money is in the list' - well it's not so much in the list but in the list of all your future clients. If you can be a good listener to others, you are already starting off on a good path toward being a good listener. Listening skills are a very important part of any business environment, whether you are a sole trader or work for an employer.


The key thing with being a good listener is to realise that you don't have to always be talking. It can be very relaxing and fulfilling to listen to someone else and learn more about them. Sometimes, you may need to shut your ears for a few seconds and concentrate on what they are saying without looking at them. Listening skills can be learnt, and once you have practiced them in different situations you will become a natural listener. Some people believe that listening means standing there looking at everything they say, but this is not true.

One of the key things that a good listener will do is listen to what they are told. If you have a client who has given you a contract to do a job for them, you should listen to what they have to say. The reason why you are doing this is because they have given you a commitment to do the job, and you need to ensure that they are happy with the contract that you have agreed to with them. In order to be a good listener, you must first understand what they are telling you. They might be trying to tell you that it would be better if you did not go ahead with the project, but they are actually giving you advice on how to approach it.

Another key thing that makes successful listeners is their ability to listen without simply interrupting. Good listeners are able to listen without simply attempting to take control of the conversation. As a listener, you must learn to listen without interruption. If you constantly try to interject your opinions and thoughts in the middle of the conversation, you will only cause the other person to become more frustrated.

In order to become a good listener, you also need to be a good communicator. By being a good communicator you are opening yourself up to being able to listen and understand what another person is saying. When you are able to both listen and communicate effectively, you can increase the effectiveness of what you are saying. If you are not a good listener, you might find that communication is not going too well.

It is important that as a listener you are patient. It takes time to properly communicate with someone. There is no one right way to do it, so just practice it and try to be as consistent as possible. Be sure to take the time to listen and do your research before you begin a conversation. You will be surprised by how much you can learn just by being a good listener.

Overall, listeners are one of the most important aspects of having a successful business. The more effective a business is, the more likely people are to stay around and continue to be a part of the business. Listening skills are developed over the course of time, but they are never completely forgotten.


One final note on being a good listener. Don't make small talk or try to engage the other person at the same time. If you don't have time to do both, then just do one at a time. Also, try not to be intrusive or interrupt the other person, even if you think you might. These behaviors will drive people away from you and keep you from becoming a good listener.