Listen and learn

One of the things I really love about my job is that I'm always learning - in particular about my clients, their responsibilities, their worries, their jobs and their businesses.

I especially love meeting new people working in businesses, industries, and markets where I know very little. This is a fantastically privileged position to be in. How many people have this diversity in their day-to-day lives? How many people get to learn so much from such knowledgeable people?

I was thinking recently about this 'process' of getting to know people and their businesses... how, in those first few meetings, it's all about intently listening and asking questions... or at least that's what I thought I was doing.

In fact, there's so much more to it - to get people to really open up and give me their true thoughts and ideas takes a lot more than a good ear.

It's about giving them attention, encouraging them to speak about their situation, asking them to say what they really think about things, go beyond the usual answers, the company line...  and appreciating that this isn't always easy for them.

If I'm doing my job well, I'm creating the right 'environment' for people to think and a safe place for people to speak honestly and openly; it's non competitive, unrushed and, in return for their openness, I'm fascinated and energised by them - it's a real buzz.

On the rare occasions when I find these meetings a struggle - even draining - I've realised it's when people are saying what they think they should say, what's expected, what they've been told to say. My job is getting them to speak their minds - and the minute we're back on it, I'm riveted.

So the catch phrase 'listen and learn' appears to ring true, although I would say truly listening isn't as easy as it may appear - it's far from being a passive skill, it's genuinely giving people the time and attention to help them think.