‘You are such a good listener.” “Thank you for listening to me.” “You remind me of my son.” These are a sample of things I hear from patients, friends, and acquaintances on a regular basis. My listening skills are likely the largest contributing factor to attaining buy-in, building rapport, and establishing connections. Listening is essential if you want people to like you. And if they don’t like you, well, good luck! But I wasn’t always this way. When I was a young buck, I was shy, quiet, and unsure of myself. I most certainly had friends, but most connections were superficial. Because I was quiet, many times when I spoke in a group my words would go ignored. I struggled to form the deep bonds that we as humans crave. A lack of connection can create a void within us. I wanted that void to fill, so I desperately needed to cultivate a skill. I didn’t need to talk louder, assert myself, or become the most interesting man in the world. I needed to listen.
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