Are You a Talker or a Listener?

Talking MORE than listening could be the reason you can’t move ahead!

Around our virtual office in tampa we find that talking more than listening is a bad habit for anyone, even if it’s just a result of an individual’s extroverted personality.

If you find that you fall into this category, make a conscious effort to speak less and listen more, especially when you’re in the company of someone more experienced or more authoritative than you are. You’ll end up making a better impression, and more importantly, you’ll learn more in the process.

Talking less and listening more is a hard switch to make!  It requires an exercise of self control on a muscle that hasn’t been worked in a long time.   The person who’s doing the talking will feel understood and cared about. Most people go through life wishing to be listened to more. So by listening rather than talking, you are giving something valuable to the person who’s speaking.

Things to remember when focusing on listening vs speaking:

1. Knowledge is power.

2. You won’t reveal anything you’ll later regret.

3. You won’t say anything dumb.

4. You won’t use up your material.

5. The person who’s doing the talking will feel understood and cared about.

6. You may gain inside information.

7. When you do speak, people will listen.

 

The moral of the article is:  Listen more.  Talk less.