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Sales Tip of the Week: Use the Art of Effective Listening

Because listening doesn't come naturally to many of us, it is very important that you practice to be a good listener. Today, we'll review a few pointers on how to listen for excellence.

Listening involves a much more sophisticated mental process than just hearing. It is the most common method of taking in information, and yet, it is also the least understood manner of learning. On average, people are only 25% effective in their listening. That's because it demands energy and discipline. Listening is a learned skill. Let's take a closer look...

Normal Division of Time Spent Communicating:

• Listening, 40%
• Talking, 35%
• Reading, 16%
• Writing, 9%

One way to get to the heart of listening is to answer the following questions for yourself:

• How do you feel when you really listen to someone else?
• How does it feel when someone is really listening to you?

Listening is:

• The act of taking in information from speakers, other people or ourselves, while remaining nonjudgmental and empathetic.
• Acknowledging the talker in a way that invites the communication to continue.
• Providing limited, but encouraging, input to the speaker's response, carrying the person's idea forward to the next step.

This definition stresses the listener's responsibility in the communication process. Although listening is one of the most demanding aspects of communication, it is also one of the most rewarding. Try to make a conscious effort to improve your listening today!