Listening is a skill. It is proven that in our society, we are losing this skill. There are so many distractions with technology that we are too busy and overstimulated. Yet, people still have the need to be heard. When we also add in our last huge world event of the pandemic, it threw us even more into a problem as we totally disconnected rather than building connection. We were forced to isolate, avoid connection completely, stay 6 feet or more away from others and then we put masks over our faces and did not make connection with each other when we were literally close by.
There are studies that show that Communication is only 7% verbal. 38% is tone and inflection and 55% is in our body language. Even though this study may not be completely accurate, it is very close. Our communication is not just about what we say, it is about how we say it and what we do with our body when we say it.
Are you aware of your Body Language? Are you open and approachable or closed off and stern? Are you welcoming and creating complete connections? My guess is that we can all improve in each of these areas. By improving them, we would thus have better relationships and that would result in better communication and teamwork.
Everyone wants to know,” What’s in it for me”, right? WIIFM
This has become a huge thing in our world right now.
Have you ever considered, “What’s in it for THEM?” WIIFT
- What’s in it for them to be in a relationship with you?
- What’s in it for them to do business with you?
- What’s in it for them to be your employee?
- What’s in it for them to be your joint venture partner?
- What’s in it for them to listen to you?
- What’s in it for them to be associated with you?
When we can raise the bar and show others through our communication and teamwork that it is a different experience working with us, it will attract more clients, retain more clients and employees. It creates our relationships to be lasting and meaningful. It improves marriage and your relationship with your children.
Our final factor is Consistent Consideration.
One Saturday at noon, I was still in my pajamas, a serious case of bed head and yesterday’s mascara now much lower on my face. I was in my back office writing my book,” 7 Traits to Create All Things Possible”. It was the first Saturday I had not been out of town speaking or at other obligations in six weeks. When all of a sudden the doorbell rang. NOT the front doorbell, but the back doorbell! That meant someone was standing at the glass doors looking right into the kitchen which just happened to be the room next to me. There was NO way out without being seen. I was the only one home! So, I did what any sane person would do, I stood up and peeked out the wood blinds to see if I knew who it was. Of course, I did not recognize the truck in my driveway. So I fluffed my bedhead and rubbed the mascara out from under my eyes and marched toward the door.
