Are People Listening to You?

I was recently chatting with a colleague and she was sharing with me her frustrations because she felt like no one was paying attention. It got me thinking about why that might be. I’m going to impart the knowledge I shared with her here. Let me know, are people listening to you?

First, be fully present when you’re in a meeting or one on one. Think about it, why would someone connect with you if your mind is obviously elsewhere. Be present and focused on the person you’re having a meeting with.

Second, are you stating facts and figures or are you using the data to paint a picture of next steps? Anyone can read from a report. Anyone can read numbers and figures off of a spreadsheet. If you want to be heard, you need to be able to share facts and figures in a way that tells a story.

Next, dig down to the essential information you’re sharing and be sure that’s all you share. You don’t want to jump down into rabbit holes and start providing irrelevant information. That’s a surefire way to lose your audience’s attention.

Lastly, ask yourself, are you a listener? When others are talking, are you focused on them and showing them that you care about what they’re saying? If you’re not listening to others, they won’t listen to you!

What are your tips for getting others to listen?