By Diane M. Hess
A message, and its meaning, can get distorted, especially whenyou are not face-to-face with a client, prospect or a member ina networking group. Listed below are a few reasons for thisdistortion and a few tips on how to avoid these common butoverlooked errors.
An inability to listen. Listening is a skill. Put your thoughts,self-talk, and the project that you're working on aside andfocus on what the other person is saying. Be patient! Somepeople need more time to make their point or to express theirneeds.
It's a task to listen when face-to-face, but when you are not,don't listen just long enough to place what the other is sayinginto a pre-established pattern. This is also called"pigeonholing." Each person has unique individual needs. Takecares to discover what they are and then act accordingly.
Having an attitude such as, "It didn't make sense," or "allthese Internet inquires are the same . . . " can lose morebusiness than you can imagine. Leave the attitude behind andfind out what the other person needs, or what they are askingyou to do.
Make allowances for cultural differences or language barriers.Go slow; and ask clear questions to get the message straight.
Have you noticed at times, on-line inquires can causefrustration because of the lack of feedback and inability to seethe non-verbal responses. You can compensate for this byclarifying what the other person has said.
Have you tried to have a conversation with someone whointerrupts you? Even if you think you will lose your thought,don't interrupt a member of your group or a potential prospect.
Don't talk too much. You may be the only person who will listento the other person today. Don't keep busy expressing youropinion or "telling" your story. Listen, hear what the otherperson is saying; then run it past them to make sure you haveunderstood the little nuances.
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