In a world made dumb by digital noise, what can individuals, brands and organisations do to make themselves relevant again?
Deep listening isn’t just an art. There is strong neuroscience behind it. When you take the effort to listen deeply, the brain enters into a state of heightened receptivity. As it engages multiple neural networks, it creates deeper understanding, distills the nuances and leaves memory imprints that are strong and relevant. Not just that- the ability for us to be heard goes up exponentially the less we talk.
Silence can be deafening- yes. But silence also helps you gather strategic intelligence, where missing the wood for the trees could be a distinct possibility. Silence helps us pick on the unspoken and the hidden opportunities. It helps us see around corners and avoid blind turns. Silence is a great conduit to understand human motivation, pain points and desires- traits that brands and marketers actually pay an arm and a leg to understand. In business, it can lead to innovative solutions, better customer experiences, and a competitive edge.
Listening is the trust building bridge that a lot of us do not take care to build. When people are heard, they open up, place more confidence in you and work to foster a stronger relationship. Good listeners build an empathy advantage and in an increasingly automation driven world, it enhances emotional intelligence, your conflict resolution and leadership skills.
All of us are aware of the fact that most people are just waiting for their turn to talk and therefore pay sub-optimal attention to listening. In a world addicted to noise, silence is a force multiplier. It is a power move. I say this because you would have noticed that silence makes the others around uncomfortable and they fill in the gaps and reveal more than they intended to. So, use it.
Ignoring costs a fortune. While silence is free of cost. The Titanic sank because no one cared to listen. Blockbuster( the Netflix predecessor) shut because it ignored Netflix. Listening isn’t just a nice to have. It is a vital survival strategy.
Your mouth is costing you money. Your ears can earn you millions. Train yourself to listen to what isn’t being said. Being the loudest in the room is already Red Ocean territory. Whereas being the most attentive is actually a vast Blue Ocean. Every time you really listen, you gain insight. You hear what’s beneath the words. You notice what others miss.
‘ Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough‘ – Karl Marx
Listen. Let others chase attention. You accumulate wisdom.