You know the old cliché?

The one that says we have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak. Like most clichés, it’s sort of annoying and like most clichés it has some real truth to it as well!

When we go out to business networking events, we generally have an agenda, to make contacts, to talk about what we do, to meet new people, to find out what they do and where our interests and needs might intersect.

However, when we have an agenda, our ‘mission’ is often to complete our agenda and move through as many conversations as we can, make as many connections as we can and that’s how we measure our networking success. What if you switched your focus to asking and listening? Do you think it might change your experience and hence, your outcome?

Imagine meeting someone new and asking her what she does professionally – then drilling down and asking more questions.

How long have you been doing that?

Do you love it?

What do you love best?

What’s the most challenging?

What else do you like to do in your spare time?

How do you manage your time?

Anything and everything.

When we ask other people about themselves, with genuine interest, guess what? They LIKE us! They feel important, respected, heard and most important – LISTENED TO.

Throw away your agenda and have fewer, deeper conversations.

You’ll build solid communication skills and real relationships that in the end, move your agenda forward in a meaningful way that impresses other people.

The famous sales trainer Zig Ziglar likes to say “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Take Zigs’ advice to heart and make sure you really care, really focus and really listen. It’s a formula for success, happiness and sharing the love. It’s win-win.

Learn more about tapping into ancient wisdom to learn more about you and others around you with an open, compassionate heart. Click here to learn more and thank you from the bottom of my heart.