Here is my third speech with Toastmasters. The objective is get to the point. Well, I guess my point is very clear and that is urging everyone to listen.

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There is a famous anonymous quote that says, “Do not speak until you can improve your listening.”

In line with that quote stated let me share to you a story. A couple of years back when I was in high school, I usually spend my free time helping at the family business. There, I experienced how my father dealt with salesmen from our principals negotiating what products to buy. During those times, I noticed how a salesman works; they do a lot of talking without bothering to listen to their client’s concern. And in the present, I had just learned that the particular salesman is already jobless.

On my own analysis, I feel that it happened because he failed to update his knowledge. The knowledge that talking so much is no longer applicable these days. Why? Because people, day after day are getting more knowledgeable and are not easily persuaded by sales talk.

So how exactly do you sell? In the present the best way to sell is through the consultative approach and the pre requisite – it’s “listening.” In this approach you are required to listen to your client’s concerns such as what are the current problems the company is facing right now. And by carefully analyzing, you offer to him a solution as such you would be able to sell. Thus, allowing you to sell through listening.

Moving further, an aspect worth taking a look at is how listening works on life. 

Everyday on our life we encounter listening issues, say for instance a professor his telling students “Class, please get one fourth sheet of paper for the exams” and suddenly a student responds “Is it one fourth Sir?” Clearly the student is not listening.

Everyday of our life we converse with someone be it family members, friends or colleagues.  During the course of the conversation you noticed that the person you are talking to seems to be daydreaming and their eyes seems to be everywhere but you. 

And with that two instances allow me to ask you a propelling question, “How do you feel when you are not being listened to?” You would probably feel betrayed, awkward or unappreciated.  So do listen, because with listening you make someone feel that they are being taken cared of. And who knows, that listening is the lone solution for world crisis, probably some people might not have been listened all their life and just needs this one shot to be listened.

Much more it is most important to realize that listening is not merely doing what a person wants but a decision to respect one’s opinion and most of all a decision to give an undivided attention when someone is talking.

No wonder why listening is a vital cog to becoming a competent leader, role model, or family person. Because it is through listening that we learn and when we learn we move forward to our life. And by moving forward we come a step closer to reaching our goals. I do urge everyone to please do listen because listening do not just sell but it solves half of the problem.

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Categories: Business and Entrep, Ramblings