12 steps to mastering the Art of Listening 1. Keep your mouth shut so your ears can stay open 2. Listen with all your senses. Get the whole story. 3. Listen with your eyes. Maintain eye contact. Focus on each word. 4. Listen with your body. Use body language to communicate. Sit up straight. Lean forward. Be alert. 5. Be a mirror. Smile when the other person smiles. Nod when they nod. Frown (with understanding) when they frown 6. Don’t interrupt. Don’t break the speaker’s train of thought or irritate them. 7 Avoid outside interruptions. Hold phone calls when in your office with a prospect, or go somewhere where interruptions are least likely. 8. Avoid sound distractions. Turn off cell phones, radios, TV’s, background music, etc. Nothing should compete with your prospect for attention. 9. Avoid sight distractions. Don’t let an outside or inside office window view compete with you for the undivided attention of your prospect. 10. Concentrate. Pay attention to the other person at all times. Don’t yawn, look at your watch, look at your fingernails, or anything else that could make the prospect feel uncomfortable or unimportant. 11. Listen “between the lines”. Try to hear the “fine print.” Is this person “saying” something to you, just not with words? Read their body language. 12. Don’t be an ATANA (All Talk and No Action). Your action should be listening carefully.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:39:59 +0000
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