I have respected Joe Zente with ZThree Performance Development for many years now. In this article, Joe expresses more reasons why we should be better listeners.

Most people don’t think about listening as a skill they can develop and improve upon. If taken seriously, using just a few simple tools to become a better listener will not only benefit you at work, as Joe points out, but will also improve your life at home.

Joe’s article was written to help sales people but there is one outstanding point that I want to address, empathetic listening! Empathetic listeners learn, understand and care about the people they are conversing with. During your conversation try and put yourself in their shoes and understand where they are coming from. This holiday season after all we have been through over the past few years this skill along with patience is something we all need to utilize.

Think about it, when was the last time your spouse or loved one said to you, “You are a great listener”? If it has been a while since you’ve heard that (or never!), then read Joe’s article and put his suggestions into practice. You’ll be glad you did!