Listening may be the least practiced and most important skill you can master.
I was a salesman in my past life. And in competing with five of the largest companies in a certain field, it was my turn to give my presentation. When I went up to the podium to present, my client started to attack, and made an accusation of my company and myself.
Rather than defend myself, I immediately grabbed a pen and paper, and I started asking him what he was upset about, what he felt, and how it affected him. For the next 35 minutes, I took notes. And I listened. And I listened very carefully to everything he had to say. He went on and on, and he made it clear that I had no chance of winning this deal, that I was going to be leaving the room as soon as he finished, and never to make my entrance again with this company.
Instead of just packing up and leaving, I listened, and I wrote down his notes, and I asked him further questions about what he felt, and what he wanted me to understand and learn, so I could take it back to my company.
At the end, he said to me, “Ok there’s the door, it’s time to go, we’re not using you.”
As I was ready to leave, I turned around again, and asked him one more question, and as I listened to him go on for another ten minutes, when he was finished, and I was ready to leave, he said, “You know something? You listened to me so well, I’d like to hear your presentation.” I made my presentation and I won the deal.
I learned that day that it is more important to listen than to think about what you want to say to someone.
Comments
Listening
that's amazing how you had the fortitude and skill to do that John!