I'm All Ears

Probably the most important skill in the collaboration process is listening. Like all of our human tools listening can be activated and experienced in a variety of ways.

When someone starts talking we can engage in many ways:

1. We can give them an allotted time frame to fill a gap. Then it’s our turn…
2. We can finish off their thought because we know what they are going to say
3. We can stop them before they go any further and set them straight with the truth

These ways of listening are designed to please and validate the listener and not the speaker.

When you control the conversation you sell nothing and limit the outcome to a single transaction.

If you listen properly then you will follow the perspective of the talker and understand something about them.

Could be the start of a beautiful friendship…..