Rediscovering the forgotten art of listening

According to several colleges and universities that Prairie Business spoke with recently, employers have been telling schools what is most important to them when considering a potential new hire. On their list: effective communication skills.

That is a broad umbrella under which many specifics apply. Some businesses may be looking for someone who can speak publicly without intimidation or fear, for instance, while others may want someone who can write a savvy press release or marketing campaign. Others may want someone who can do both. Likewise, certain companies may be looking for someone who is versed in digital communication skills, someone who knows how to effectively use social media to their advantage or who knows how to communicate through visual means, such as producing photos and videos.

“The bottom line is communication is everywhere, it doesn’t matter what field you go into,” said karen Bauer, assistant professor of journalism at Bismarck State College. (Bauer spells her first name with a lowercase “k.”) Doctors meet with patients, reporters with sources, sales reps and consultants with clients, cashiers with customers. “You’ve got communication everywhere you look.”

More about communication can be found in our story in this issue titled “Communicating in business,” but there is a counterpart skill that is often overlooked: listening.

According to a 2018 article by Insider, listening skills are one of the most overlooked and underappreciated life skills but one that is extremely important for those in business.

“Strong conversational skills aren’t just for salespeople, though,” writes the author of the article, Omar Tawakol. “Everyone – from CEOs and product managers to newly minted college graduates – could use a crash course in the forgotten art of active listening.”

Think of what could be accomplished if more people, instead of just hearing words, truly listened to their colleagues and customers.

I walked out of a car dealership once because I felt like the sales representative wasn’t listening to what I was saying about the kind of vehicle I wanted. Instead, he was trying to sell me something I had expressed concerns about. I went elsewhere and found what I was looking for, partly because someone listened and worked with me on getting the kind of vehicle I wanted.

Another time my wife, after telling me about a project she wanted to complete, asked me a follow-up question. I replied in a way that made her believe I hadn’t been paying attention.

“I heard you,” I said.

“Yes,” she replied. “But you weren’t listening.”

Hearing the sound of someone’s voice is different than actually listening to what they are saying. It is a lesson I have learned by being at both ends of the spectrum at one time or another.

Perhaps it is time to rediscover the forgotten art of listening.

Journalism is all about communication, including listening, but it’s a skillset that also is important in just about any other business.

As Bauer said: “I think communication is a skill that anyone could tap into in any industry.”

Until next time, Andrew Weeks

I look forward to hearing from you at aweeks@prairiebusinessmagazine.com or 701-780-1276.

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD

EDITOR ANDREW WEEKS

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

LAYOUT DESIGN SARA SLABY

ACCOUNT MANAGER

NICHOLE ERTMAN 800.477.6572 ext. 1162 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Subscriptions are available free of charge. Back issue quantities are limited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinions of writers featured in Prairie Business are their own. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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PRAIRIEBUSINESS2021

NOMINATIONS for Prairie Business’ annual Leaders & Legacies awards are now being accepted.

The magazine’s Leaders & Legacies awards recognize executives “for the great things they have done in business, whether in recent years (Leaders) or over a lifetime (Legacies),” said Publisher Korrie Wenzel.

Prairie Business is looking for business executives in North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota whose high-level achievements make them truly stand out. Each nomination must include key details of candidate’s business accomplishments, civic leadership and career history.

The nomination form is available on the magazine’s website, prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Nominations will close on Monday, May 3, 2021

Recipients of this year’s award will be announced in the July 2021 edition of Prairie Business Magazine.