The Art of Intentional Listening: Building Deeper Connections in Business

In this compelling June episode of "Pass the Mic," Tiffany Ball dives deep into the art of intentional listening as the cornerstone of meaningful business connections. Through personal stories from relationship therapy and her childhood as a military brat who never felt like she belonged, Tiffany reveals why making others feel seen is the secret to building lasting professional relationships. She shares the pivotal moment when a roofing company owner introduced her not because she remembered what Tiffany did, but because she remembered who Tiffany was as a person. This episode breaks down the difference between listening to respond versus listening to understand, introduces the "quiz method" for better listening, and explores why our instinct to relate and one-up actually sabotages connection. Tiffany's vulnerable sharing about growing up as the middle child of five in an impoverished military family illuminates the core belief driving her work: ensuring no one feels alone or like they don't belong.

About Tiffany Ball:

Tiffany Ball is the founder of Grow Networking, a community focused on creating spaces where people feel comfortable, welcome, and truly seen. Growing up as a military brat and the middle child of five in an impoverished family, Tiffany moved every two years and learned to be a "chameleon" to fit in, though she never truly felt like she belonged anywhere. This childhood experience of feeling alone and disconnected drives her mission to ensure others never feel the same way. Through her work, Tiffany combines lessons learned from relationship therapy, personal development, and years of networking experience to help people build authentic connections that go beyond surface-level business transactions. She believes that bringing humanity back into business interactions is key to both professional success and personal fulfillment.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Power of Being Remembered as a Person: How being known for who you are, not just what you do, leads to better referrals and connections
• Intentional Listening Defined: Listening for context clues about who someone is as a person, not just waiting for your turn to talk
• The Quiz Method: Treating conversations like you'll be tested on the content to improve your listening skills
• Listening to Understand vs. Listening to Respond: Why most people listen only to formulate their next response
• The One-Up Trap: How our instinct to relate by sharing our own experiences actually turns conversations back to ourselves
• Context Clues and Follow-Up Questions: Learning to pick up on what excites people and asking deeper questions about their passions
• Making People Feel Seen: The profound impact of acknowledging someone's efforts and authentic self
• Military Brat Background: How constant moving and never feeling like she belonged shaped Tiffany's approach to connection
• The Chameleon Effect: Learning to adapt to fit in versus being authentic and helping others be authentic
• Core Beliefs Driving Business: How childhood experiences of feeling alone motivate her work in creating inclusive spaces

Powerful Quotes from the Episode

"It's not about what you do more than it is how you do it and how people feel when they're in your presence."

"Intentional listening... means that while they're talking, you are searching for context clues into who they are as a person."

"Act like you are going to have a quiz about what it is they're saying at the end of it."

"The problem I find that some people do... is when we're in conversation, what we want to do is we want to relate to