How do you build a popular blog? What does it take to build a profitable business? How do you become more successful? I think in a large part the key to growth and success is understanding people.
In the book, Climbing the Executive Ladder; Author George Kienzle states, “Few things will pay you bigger dividends than the time and trouble you take to understand people. Almost nothing will add more to your stature as an executive and a person. Nothing will give you greater satisfaction or bring you more happiness.”
One of the big problems we face in our fast paced society is taking the time to fully listen to people. Our conversations exist almost entirely of trite questions such as “How are you doing?,” or “Nice day isn’t it?,” or the ever popular, “What’s up?” Questions that almost always produce the same trite answer.
With such shallow questions how can we possibly understand each other?
John Maxwell has some insight into the problem. He advises, “The biggest mistake you can make in trying to talk convincingly to others is to put your highest priority on expressing your ideas and feelings. What most people want is to be listened to, respected and understood. The moment people see that they are being understood, they become more motivated to understand your point of view.”
Could listening be the key to understanding?
Author Steven Covey puts a lot of emphasis on understanding and lists it as one of his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. His tenet is Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood. He talks about the concept of empathic listening. Listening to others with empathy and caring.
Over the next week we’ll look at the topic of understanding and look at some of the problems we face in fully understanding others. We’ll tie this in with the idea of building a small business and see how we can learn how to listen to our potential customers and meet their needs.
We’ll cover…
Overcoming customer anxiety
It’s all about me them
Different strokes for different folks
My customer is just like me
Here’s to understanding…
