“Most of the successful people I’ve Known are the Ones Who Do More Listening Than Talking.”   

Bernard Baruch  

Let’s face it, most of us think that we’re great listeners. And because you’re a sales leader, you are probably better than average. A recent study indicates that over 85% of managers identify themselves as above average listeners. 

While this sounds positive, it is statistically just not possible! What we want ourselves to be doesn’t always translate to where we really are as managers, as leaders, and as listeners. We all have our blind spots. Chances are, listening could be one of your blind spots.

We recognize that social and emotional intelligence is key for good sales leaders, and listening is a big part of that equation. Imagine the change in your organization when listening becomes your own superpower.

Listening well is fundamental to being a good sales leader. Remember your first year in sales? Did you make the common mistake of filling silence by continuing to talk regardless of the impact?  Do you remember the missed opportunities you had by not giving the prospect time to speak or not listening effectively when they do?  You’ve since corrected that because successful salespeople listen. 

Are there more complex listening challenges of which you’re unaware?

Sales is about solving problems, and you need to listen to discover what the problem really is. This is where it gets tricky. After the prospect begins talking, many experienced salespeople automatically go to the problem schema they are most familiar with. Herein lies where the more complex listening blind spot is. 

Recent research has confirmed two very important truths about listening: 

·      First, listening is a cognitive habit, meaning that understanding created through listening occurs in the brain, and we do it the same way each time because no one has taught us how to do it differently. 

·      Second, research supports that we can learn how to listen differently, but only if we are aware of the four listening dominances and actually practice how to listen differently. 

There are four listening dominant habits or schemas, and most of us listen through one or two of them, without realizing there are other ways, our listening blind spots, to listen. 

Which one of these describes your dominant listening habits?

1.     Connective Listeners select and process information based on how it’s going to affect people. They focus on people and emotions and often think about who does and doesn’t like ideas and if the right decision-makers are in the room. If you are quick to express favor or disfavor for people and ideas, you’re probably a connective listener. 

2.     Reflective Listeners select and process information based on their past experiences. This is not done in a selfish way, but in a way that helps the individual understand. The reflective listener processes the information through the database of their past experiences in an effort to remember what worked and what didn’t work and how things might need to be done differently. If you take your time making a decision because you’re checking your past experiences, then you’re probably a reflective listener.

3.     Analytical Listeners select and process information based on the facts of today. They try to nail down the ideas and their authenticity, and it’s not until everything is nailed down that the analytical listener can see the big picture. If you’re constantly asking about the details, you’re probably an analytical listener.

4.     Conceptual Listeners select and process information based on how the ideas can be applied in the future; so they focus on the possibilities of tomorrow, not what’s real today. If you like to think about what could be, then you’re probably a conceptual listener.

Knowing and developing our own listening dominances helps us read between the lines and not miss anything in a meeting or sales call. 

We can make listening our superpower when we not only develop our own habits, but we learn to identify our prospects’ listening dominances and learn to speak into them. That’s when we become more successful because we’re not only listening more than talking but when we talk, we’re talking into our prospects’ listening dominances.

Interested in learning more? Contact Laura at LJanusik@gmail.com.