Attention please!

October 29, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Share & Print

People can tell whether or not they have your full attention. You may think you can fake attention, but you can't. You may believe because you are on the telephone, invisible to the person with whom you're speaking, that they won't know your mind is really somewhere else. But they know. Your responses betray you.

I know we live in a world of full of distractions. But this is precisely what makes your full, undivided attention a genuine gift. Giving that gift is proof positive that you care about your prospects and what they're saying.

I know that it's difficult to focus when there is so much going on around you. But really listening to someone is also a gift. The person you are speaking with wants to be heard, just as you want to be heard. The ability to listen can define and differentiate you in a world full of people who can't. Or won't.

I know you're busy. If you want to reclaim your time, then strive to be focused and effective in the moment instead of distracted. Effectiveness with other human beings is accomplished not through efficiency but through caring. And giving someone your full attention and patient focus is an exceptional gift of caring in a world too busy and distracted to care.

May I have your attention — please?

Sign up for The Lead and get a new tip in your inbox every day! More tips:

S. Anthony Iannarino is the mana33ging director of B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, a boutique sales coaching and consulting company, and an adjunct faculty member at Capital University's School of Management and Leadership. For more information, go http://thesalesblog.com/s-anthony-iannarino/

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Related Stories

Resource Center