LISTENING IS MORE PERSUASIVE THAN TALKING
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
As counterintuitive as it may seem, listening is actually more persuasive than talking when it comes to influencing others. One explanation for why listening is more persuasive than talking relates to the social psychology concept of reciprocity. When we listen attentively to someone, we show them that we genuinely value their ideas and thoughts. This creates a sense of goodwill and reciprocity, where the speaker is more likely to be receptive to our ideas and perspectives.
When people feel understood and listened to, I’ve witnessed that they are more likely to be open to altering their opinions or behaviour. Listening is a powerful tool for persuasion, so the next time you find yourself in a persuasive situation, try listening more and talking less – you’ll be surprised at the results.
When you stop listening, you start losing!