I am a fan of the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” written by the late, Stephen R. Covey and this habit, Habit #5, Seek First to Understand Then To Be Understood focuses on communication.
As all good salespeople know, it’s crucial to understand the problems of your prospects and sell solutions to those, rather than just push products. This requires empathy and focusing on learning their point of view.
We can do this in all types of critical conversations. When we give people the space to communicate their position and we act from the knowledge we gain from understanding where they stand, we gain influence in the relationship.
The only way to be really good at this habit is to use empathic listening. That’s when you listen and reflect back what you heard the other person say, both in words and in feelings. What’s so great about having this type of exchange is that the other individual, when they hear what we believe they said and the feeling behind it, may be open to other possibilities.
The following are a few questions you can ask yourself this month to see if you are practicing Habit 5.
- Do I allow others to state their feelings or opinions without interrupting?
- Do I give ideas a chance before evaluating them?
- Do I allow others to express their viewpoint before stating my own opinion?
Wishing you a fantastic month ahead; I hope that the articles in this month’s issue will inspire and motivate you. Don’t forget to take advantage of the links to connect further with our contributors.
Happy Holidays!
