Listening Before Speaking

We often think of powerful people as the ones that talk to most. True power lies in listening. And in order to really listen, you shoud wait until the other person is done talking and until you feel you understand their point of view. 

WAIT is a good way to remember to be quiet. Why Am I Talking forces you to think before you speak. And powerful people often use silence as a way to make their point. So waiting is always a good thing in conversations. 

And as you THINK about speaking, you can ask yourself if what you are abou to say is any of the following: 

True - is it factual truth or hearsay? Is it something you want to be true but don't know if it is? 

Helpful - does it add to the conversation or is it a segway into another conversation? 

Informative - are you adding interesting informaton that adds to the point of view of the person speaking? 

Necessary - if you didn't say it, would it change the outcome? 

Kind - is it kind to the other person or are you saying something that might hurt their or others feelings? 

Practice this in your conversations and see if it improves your listening and your crediblity. We bet you'll make a good impression using this tool.