Why Listening Is the Key to Creating Real Wants

Listening Builds Trusting Relationships

One well-known author on effective habits called listening the single most important principle in the field of interpersonal relationships. Trusting relationships are the foundation of every strong professional marketing effort.

Most Professionals Were Never Taught to Listen

Formal education and continuing education courses teach reading, writing and speaking in depth. Listening, the fourth core communication skill is almost never taught directly even though it may matter the most in client relationships.

There Are Levels of Listening

Ignoring and pretending to listen both damage relationships quickly. Selective listening causes you to miss key points entirely. Attentive and empathic listening further up the scale and are the levels worth actively practicing and improving.

Final Thoughts

Even highly successful rainmakers have had to consciously learn to listen better partway through their careers. Helping a client with their deepest problems always requires understanding first. In your next client conversation aim to speak less than half the time and notice how much more you actually learn.