No man ever listened
himself out of a job.

- Calvin Coolidge

isten Up! Information gathering is central to a sales professional's job. It's how you learn about your clients' needs, available products and new technologies. But what's the best way to acquire this information? First, ask the right questions. Then, button your lips and ... listen.

Why? Because when effective listening skills are not employed, the following negative consequences can occur:

• Time and energy are wasted when meetings and appointments are rescheduled due to miscommunications.
• Resources are wasted when assignments are repeated because they were misunderstood the first time.
• Morale and motivation decrease as employees start to wonder, why bother?
• Frustration increases as information is reiterated because it isn't being grasped.
• Resentment builds because people think their ideas and wishes aren't taken seriously, when they actually are taken seriously but are misunderstood.
• Peers and colleagues no longer trust one another.
• Clients and potential clients lose faith in a product, company or both.
• Teams lose cohesiveness when members feel they aren't being heard, and people take sides rather than work toward a common goal.

All these situations can be remedied, however, and even prevented, if you practice active listening. The following tips can help:

Focus: Concentrate all your attention on the speaker. Follow this rule whether you're on the phone or meeting face to face. Don't read or answer e-mail while on the phone. Don't respond to text messages when people are in your office. Maintain your focus. Don't daydream. Resist the urge to plan what you will say next, and listen to what the speaker wants you to understand now.

People won't mind your taking a moment to gather your thoughts if your response is related to their comments. If, instead, you respond immediately, but your answer doesn't speak to their concerns, they will become frustrated.

· Shhhh: Don't interrupt speakers or finish their sentences. Even if you're certain you know what someone is trying to say, let the person finish speaking before you respond. You could be wrong.

And, if you cut people off you might miss important things, not to mention risk alienating them. Also, if you let speakers finish and allow a few seconds of silence before you speak, they may spontaneously provide valuable information.

· Use your body: Watch your body language. Maintain eye contact, lean forward and nod. Make affirmative comments, such as yes, I see or I understand, as appropriate, to demonstrate you are listening and understanding what is said.

· Be present: Stay in the present. Resist the urge to start forming action plans. Simply listen. You need to have all the facts before you can move forward with a plan. If your mind is drifting toward a solution before you know the entire problem, disaster could ensue.

There will be plenty of time to form an action plan. People won't expect you to resolve their problems immediately.

If you attempt to do so, they may think (and probably rightly so) you haven't really heard their issues or that you are offering inappropriate generic remedies for their unique circumstances.

· Repeat: When you are certain speakers are through talking, reiterate what they've said. Summarizing the most important points lets people know they have been heard. It also verifies that you've understood their intent.

Listening is more than simply hearing. Active listening creates relationships, earns trust and builds faith. It also helps you make the most of your energy and financial resources by using your time wisely.