Trained listeners tend to sell more effectively than the untrained. There are some classic differences between these two types. As you take this 13-question quiz, think about which category you identify with most strongly:
Question #1
Untrained listener: You tune out some of what the customer is saying because you think that you know the answer.
Trained listener: You defer judgment. You’re more controlled. You listen for the customer’s feelings and assess the situation.
Question #2
Untrained listener: You’re quick to mentally criticize grammar, voice tone, speaking mannerisms, etc. Your attention is directed toward style.
Trained listener: You pay most attention to content — not to appearances, form, or other surface issues.
Question #3
Untrained listener: You spend time rehearsing your response rather than fully listening to the customer — and you let them realize this.
Trained listener: You listen completely first, trying to capture every nuance. You really strive to understand customers. This enthralls them.
Question #4
Untrained listener: You tend to listen mainly for facts and specific bits of information.
Trained listener: You listen for the main idea.
Question #5
Untrained listener: You attempt to take in everything the customer is saying, as well as reply to everything, including exaggerations and errors (referred to as "fogging").
Trained listener: You concentrate on the customer’s main issues. There’s no need to reply to everything. You avoid sidetracking remarks.
Question #6
Untrained listener: You pretend to be paying attention.
Trained listener: You’re aware of the human tendency to fake attention and know your own internal cues. Because you genuinely care about what the customer’s saying your mind wanders less.
Question #7
Untrained listener: You divide your attention among two or more tasks.
Trained listener: You do one thing at a time. You realize that listening is a full-time job.
Question #8
Untrained listener: You give up too soon when you realize that you have to work to actively listen to what the customer is saying.
Trained listener: You listen carefully. You sort information, provide feedback, and ask for confirmation.
Question #9
Untrained listener: You tend to become distracted by emotional words and have difficulty controlling your own emotional responses.
Trained listener: You control your anger when you feel it. You don’t let emotions govern your behavior.
Question #10
Untrained listener: You give few, if any, verbal responses.
Trained listener: You give affirming and affirmative statements and invite additional comments.
Question #11
Untrained listener: You’re impatient to "get on with it."
Trained listener: You’ve learned to be patient.
Question #12
Untrained listener: You interrupt the customer.
Trained listener: You remain silent for a few seconds after the customer finishes to be sure that they’ve completed their thought.
Question #13
Untrained listener: You’re not aware of the talking/listening "speed limits" mismatch. If someone is speaking at a different speed than you are, you’re more likely not to stay connected with that person’s line of thinking, lose their main point, and focus on a tangent.
Trained listener: You maintain the customer’s talking speed to maximize rapport.
How did you rate — and what can you do to make yourself a more effective trained listener?