DON'T LISTEN TO ME, LISTEN TO THEM

Listening seems to be one of those things everyone thinks they’re good at but only a few people really excel at. 

(Oprah, anyone?)

Our poor listening habits remind me of the statistic that 76% of Americans think they’re good drivers.

It’s not only statistically impossible, it's also untrue….because c’mon, have you ever used your phone while driving? (Answer: of course you have, because you’re a human!) 

We all know when someone is a bad listener. And it’s frustrating as all get out. They interrupt. They repeat things you’ve already said, without knowing it. They ignore you, and then you realize it’s not only you they’re ignoring, but everybody else too! 

 So, how do we make sure we’re not “that person” who seems so utterly clueless? How do we make sure that we don’t miss something our customers are trying to tell us? And why does listening even matter?

The answers you need to run your business are already there, on the lips of the people you serve (or, more accurately, on the keyboards). If you pay attention, your audience is already telling you their problems. 

You, my friend, need to be their superhero problem solver that swoops in and saves the day! 

Are people complaining about Zoom fatigue? Give them an option to text you.

Are people sick of added fees? Be more transparent about your costs upfront. 

Are people confused about what you do? Add more clarity than you think is necessary in your messaging. 

Show your audience you understand their pain, and they will attract to you like a super mega magnet.

Some people call this empathy. Some people call it being in tune. 

I call it radical listening. 

To me, it’s radical, because we’ve done a lot of poor listening to each other lately. We’re a bit guilty of ignoring those who don’t agree with us. We so badly want to be right, and we have forgotten the importance of the human need to feel heard, which is, to feel understood. 

Listening is a HUGE part of what I do. I have to be good at it in order to create stories that are meaningful for my clients. But I’m always conscious of the fact that I need to try harder at it, and that it takes continual practice to be good at it. 

This week, I’m challenging myself this week to be a radical listener, both IRL and online. 

Will you join me? 

x

Colleen 

Interesting. Tell me more about that…