Let’s Work on Our Listening Skills

When most of us were growing up, our teachers – and parents – likely spent a lot of time working on our listening skills. The idea is you learn more by listening to someone rather than making them listen to us.

As adults, listening is just as important but it’s something that many people don’t spend enough time doing. We live in a multi-task world in which listening happens at the same time as surfing the Web, watching TV, writing blog posts and updating Twitter. As a result, our listening skills have deteriorated. A case in point is a blog post by Mitch Joel on how people attending conferences are more intent on using Twitter and other social media tools during presentations as opposed to listening. If you’re not going to be paying attention, why go to a conference other than to network?

Within the social media world, listening is as important as ever but it’s shocking to see how many companies are not listening to the conversations happening around them. Whether you’re using free tools or premium services such as Sysomos’ Heartbeat, listening should be a top priority if you want to know what your customers and potential customers are talking about.

If you’re not listening, then you’re doing what you’ve been done for years – talking or broadcasting your corporate messages. It’s a one-way practice that doesn’t work any more. Consumers want to be engaged, they want to contribute and they want you to listen to them. If you’re not having two-way conversations, stop what you’re doing right now, and then reload on your communications, marketing and sales approaches.

The lessons we were taught about listening as children as just as relevant and necessary now. The problem is many people are so happy hearing their own voices that they’ve forgotten how to listen.