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More On The Importance Of Listening

By Patrick Lamb on September 11th, 2006 Posted in Client Service

Readers of this blawg know that I am a strong proponent of listening. I invite you to look at earlier posts here, here and here. Lately, I’ve been reading a blog called Client Service Insights, which has nothing to do with law but everything to do with client service. Today’s CSI contains a great post on listening–Two Mouths and One Ear? The post title is drawn from a Mark Twain comment: “If we were meant to talk more than listen, we would have two mouths and one ear.” But clever quotes aside, I invite you to focus on Leo Bottary’s suggestion:

Being a truly good listener is arguably the most valuable skill you can develop – its applications both professionally and personally are too numerous to list. For now, starting today, try to really concentrate on listening. Don’t simply focus on the next point you want to make, or on what you want to do later that evening. Try to really listen to what others are saying. You can’t learn anything by talking, and if you’re like me, there’s still plenty left to learn.

Great suggestion. Now, what was I going to say?

http://blogs.hillandknowlton.com/blogs/leobottary Leo Bottary

Nice illustration by the way. I’ve visited your blog as well as Michelle Golden’s and others involved in professional services. Client service transcends business discipline. Whether it’s law, architecture, public relations, or engineering, we typically live by the same rules and have much to learn from one another. Thanks for sharing my post with your readers. I look forward to reading more here as well. Best, Leo
http://www.LarryBodine.com Larry Bodine

Patrick: you are on-point with this post. Check out “Listening Your Way to New Business” at http://www.larrybodine.com/Listening.htm.
According to a German proverb, “A man has two ears and one mouth so that he hears much and speaks little.” Mark Twain followed up the thought by saying, “If we were meant to talk more than listen, we would have two mouths and one ear.” And I’ll add: We were given two ears and one mouth, and they should be used in that proportion in a sales call.