4 Reasons to Simply Shut Up and Listen

4 Reasons to Simply Shut Up and Listen Listening is more important than you may think. Not only does it improve interpersonal relationships with your friends, family, significant other and colleagues, but it can also boost your leadership skills, maximise productivity and make you more knowledgable in general. Here are our top 4 reasons why you just need to shut up and listen: 1. Knowledge is power Youve heard this famous saying  before. And its true.  The one way that you can truly continue to learn throughout life is by keeping an open mind, and open ears. If youre too busy telling others how to do things and not taking the time to really listen to others, its going to halt your ability to learn and absorb new,  exciting information. Learning new things keeps life interesting, and it never has to stop.  Taking the time of day to listen to everybody, regardless of their level of experience,  will  introduce you to a whole knew wealth of knowledge. Whether its the CEO of a large corporate brand, the receptionist of the office building or a pre-grad intern, it doesnt matter you have something to learn  from everyone. 2. People will listen If youre a nonstop gabbler who talks for what seems like hours, people will zone out and fail to  truly take on board anything you say. People are more likely to genuinely listen to someone who speaks  less, rather than more. Think of it as a quality over quantity thing. This isnt to say you should be a mouse in the corner of every meeting, networking event or office conversation, it just means you should make sure everything you say is of value. Dont talk for the sake of talking. 3. Quit planning Have you ever been in a large group discussion about a certain topic, and while someone else is having some airtime, youre busy planning what  youre going to add into the conversation next? Do you find yourself trying to  remember a relevant anecdote or question, and then mull it over in your mind until you have a chance to drop it into the chatter, because  you simply  HAVE to make  sure its heard? Well, quit doing this, because if you havent noticed already, the fact youre sitting there planning your next response means youve stopped probably stopped listening to whoever is talking. Its a hard habit to break, and were all guilty of doing  it. The trick is to realise what youre doing and actively stop  it. Let someone else be important for a  minute! 4. A leadership tool thats overlooked To be a great leader, you need to be a good listener. There are no two ways about it. If youre not listening to your employees or your customers, it will be highly detrimental to your business. Businesses cant grow and develop if theyre not taking on their customers and employees recommendations. If  leaders arent listening to the people who make their business run, theyll all just pack up and leave. Wouldnt you? How to be a better listener Maintain eye contact:  When youre in conversation with someone, avoid all other distractions  such as your mobile or your laptop. This can be difficult in things such as meetings, but once you programme yourself to actually stop, look and listen to people, youll notice your listening skills improve dramatically. Ask more questions:  Expand your knowledge by asking questions. Let it sink in:  When youre having a conversation with some, take a second for their answer to sink in. Ask people about themselves:  People love talking about themselves. If you ask another person about themselves or their brand, chances are they will have a lot to say. This is a great one for networking events. Main image credit: Shutterstock