Here is a truth, which when it is thoughtfully and persistently put it into practice, can set you on a course for success as much as, if not more than, any other skill you will ever acquire and develop: Listening is the most important skill you will ever develop. Developing Emotional Intelligence helps you develop your listening skills.
Now, you might think that just listening to others could never be as important as most of the technical, operational, “hands-on” skills that are required to do a particular job well. The truth is that Emotional Intelligence training can benefit anyone in any profession that requires interaction with others.
Consider how many people in various professions you have encountered who were NOT good listeners. Did you ever have a teacher, professor or other instructor who did not listen well? How much did you learn from him? Wouldn’t you have benefited more if that person had listened well?
How about your doctor? Whether you see him or her for a routine check-up, a head cold, or something more serious, how important is it for you to leave that office believing that he or she really listened to you and understood everything you were telling them and understood how you felt about what you were telling them? Wouldn’t the same hold true for your lawyer, your accountant, and your auto mechanic?
When you go to a restaurant, or even a fast food place, do you care whether or not your server or the person behind the counter listens to your order?
Do you want to buy a car or a pair of shoes from a sales person who isn’t listening to what you’re saying and why and how you’re saying it? In fact, research has shown time and time again that the sales person who is trained in Emotional Intelligence has over 50% more repeat customers than the sales person with no Emotional Intelligence training.
We understand that investing in something you are not quite sure of is a risk. Embracing change needs more than a change in mindset – it needs a change in model – Contact me to see exactly why Emotional Intelligence is that model.
Listeners Achieve
Listening well is the bedrock of Emotional Intelligence (EI). In today’s complex, collaborative, relationship driven society, the higher your level of EI, the better. EI is also the ability to recognize the emotions that another person is experiencing and to help him or her direct those emotions toward a positive outcome. EI is also the ability to monitor your own emotions and make the most positive use of the emotions you are experiencing at any given time. In order to recognize and properly evaluate and direct both the emotions of others as well as your own, you must know how to listen effectively to others and to yourself.
The great news in all of this is that EI is not necessarily an in-born ability. It can be learned and developed by practically anyone, and the success that you attain through a higher level of EI is determined not by whether you have any, but by whether you use and build on what you have.
So, have you been listening?
