Are you more of a talker or a listener?
Our reader poll today asks: Are you more of a talker or a listener?
– I talk way too much: 8%
– I talk a lot, but I listen too: 27%
– I strike a good balance between talking and listening: 27%
– I mostly listen but talk when required: 32%
– I listen too much and don’t talk enough: 6%
More listening, less talking. There are many aphorisms out there about listening. They exist because they’re true. You can’t learn unless you listen. But keeping quiet is a difficult skill to master. Once you accept you might have a “talking problem” there are simple techniques for dialing back the chatter ranging from focusing on learning instead of talking and replacing your urge to offer thoughts with asking questions. Once you master some of these tools, you’ll listen more and the talking you do will drive deeper, more meaningful conversations.
Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!
– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC
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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.
Hi Mike,
There’s certainly a fine balance between talking and listening. I think great leaders are not only eloquent speakers, but they also really try and put themselves in other peoples perspectives when they listen.