Do You Hear What I...

"I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say today will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening." -- Larry King

I swallowed a little hard when I first read this quote from Larry King. As a business coach, speaker, and facilitator, I find myself frequently talking about the benefits of effective listening, and there lies the rub. Even though the subject matter is about hearing and listening, at that moment, I am doing all the talking. Now, I understand that is my role at that time and break-out exercises will certainly give participants a chance to practice their own listening skills. But, it is the link between listening and learning that caught my attention, here.

Those who know me well, and probably even those who don't know me as well can tell you I like to talk. If you ask me, I'll tell you that I like to teach and so talking is a big part of the teaching process-- and certainly it has its time and place. So does listening -- and I mean listening with a closed mouth and an open mind. While I may in some respects be preaching to the choir, I'm really preaching to myself and reminding myself of my commitment to learn something new and hopefully, from someone new, every day. My love for "teaching" is most likely pushing me to talk too much at times when a little listening might just be what is needed most.

I really hate to think about the nuggets of wisdom I may have missed in my eagerness to share what I know. Worse yet, I hate to think about the number of people who may have given up trying to share those nuggets of wisdom.

One of my main goals for 2016 is to work harder at becoming a more effective listener and a more effective student of the wonderful information available to me. I will ask some trusted advisers to monitor me and hold me accountable for making some of the crucial adjustments in this important area. I want to talk less and listen more. I'm looking forward to what I can learn by following a better listening process.

Actually, while we are talking about it, I'd like hear what YOU think about the subject.

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a Certified Behavioral Consultant. As a member of LIFE Leadership, he is passionate about helping people from all walks of life discover the joy of learning, the joy of leading, and the joy of building a profitable business.