By Corina • 5 Comments
A lot of studies have shown that apparently there is a link between great leaders and great listeners, so I can definitely say that there are quite a lot of benefits of speaking less and listening more that most people don’t usually take into consideration. Mike Myatt, a leadership adviser and one of America’s top CEO coaches, says, “Don’t be fooled into thinking being heard is more important than hearing. The first rule in communication is to seek understanding before seeking to be understood. Communication is not a one-way street,” and he couldn’t be more right. Apparently, the more we talk, the less we are able to understand or even to communicate. So, use your words wisely if you want to send the right message and if you want people to really understand what you are saying. Here are a few interesting benefits of speaking less and listening more that you should always consider in order to improve your communication skills:
One of the most important benefits of speaking less and listening more is the fact that by doing this, you’ll be able to really get to know other people better. You will have a chance to understand them and to see things from their perspective. Just like Mike Myatt said, “The big miss for most leaders is they fail to understand the purpose of communication is not to message, but to engage – THIS REQUIRES LISTENING.” People want to be heard, so give them the opportunity to say whatever’s on their mind. They will feel respected, valued and they will also feel that their opinion is taken seriously.
By listening more and by talking less, you will definitely have more time to think before stating your views and opinions. There’s nothing more frustrating than listening to someone who doesn’t know what they’re saying and who keeps on rambling about all kinds of things that have nothing to do with your conversation. Just take a deep breath, think for a while, keep in mind that thought and say what’s on your mind at the right time.
By listening more to what other people are saying, you’ll be able to gather all the important facts before making a decision. Just absorb all the information given to you and pay attention to all the little details because I’m sure you will want to make the best decision possible, so you’ll avoid the potential negative consequences of your actions. By collecting all the facts, “you will be able to make a well-informed decision on the outcome” and you will improve your communication skills at the same time.
By listening more and speaking less, you will be able to say only what’s important, what deserves to be said or basically what needs to be said. This way, you will not bore other people with your ramblings and you will also not waste your time or energy talking about things that don’t matter. Just keep your points succinct if you want your opinions to make an impact.
By learning how to be a better listener, you’ll be able to really process what the other person is saying because you will also have the chance to focus on how they are saying it. Just make sure you hear that person out completely and that you value their opinion. You will get to know them better and you will understand their reasons for acting in a certain way or for making a certain decision.
By listening in a more effective way, you will even be able to save a lot of time and money because you will be able to avoid any misunderstandings, troubles or inconveniences. You will also be able to make the right decision, since you will be able to gather all the facts, so you will never be unprepared.
By having good listening skills, you will even be able to expand your capacity and knowledge, so you will be a more competent, capable and professional individual. The more information you will gather by speaking less and listening more, the more successful and efficient you will be at completing all your tasks. You will also be able to grasp the exact information you need in order to execute your work without committing any mistakes that you could regret later.
I hope I convinced you that there are quite a lot of benefits of speaking less and listening more that you should always consider in order to improve your communication skills. Do you know any other benefits of speaking less and listening more that I should add to this list? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section!
Sources: lifehack.org, pickthebrain.com, howtosucceedbylistening.blogspot.ro, bogdankipko.com, n2growth.com