When it comes to speaking, there are three types of people:
• those who speak so that other people can listen;
• those who speak only to hear their own voice;
• those who speak because they just can’t shut up.
If you want to be a better blogger, you’d definitely want to be in the first group.
But what does it take to be a good orator? You’d probably say it takes good communication skills, ability to adapt from audience to audience and a spontaneous character.
Some people have these skills written in their DNA, others train them. If you’re looking to speak or write better you should first consider listening and reading more and better.
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”
Epictetus, Greek philosopher
Advantages of being a good listener
Why and how should listening improve our communication skills? First of all, by paying attention to our audience we can observe and analyze the level of interest, which would make it a lot easier to adapt from a situation to another. Therefore, a better blogger is a blogger who listens to his community is more likely to provide real answers and help to real questions. Solutions make people happy.
By taking time to listen you’re more likely to have something interesting to say after. Think about how that could come in handy when trying to write a follow up or an opinion post.
Have you ever listened to people around you; not only to those talking specifically about things that you blog approaches, but purely mundane topics? You’ll be amazed how many interesting ideas can be generated from simple, friendly chats. Satisfying the most basic needs can make most people happy. A good orator knows what masses what to hear.
Listening is also a great way to gather more knowledge. Knowledge gives you more opportunities and also allows you to explore fields where no one has stepped. If you take 2 hours for your daily writing, take at least as much to read. It keeps you fresh, inspired and why not, original.
“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.”
Bernard M. Baruch, American Economist and adviser to US presidents
The emotional factor
Take a real life example: women are especially attracted to men that know how to listen. Also, it’s a know fact that women tend to act more on instinct and emotions. So, for them enjoying a good listener is an emotional factor.
Listening can create an emotional bridge between you and your audience. Showing interest in what other people have to say qualifies you as a caring person, and for a blogger that wants to be helpful that is a big plus.
To summarize
In order to be a better blogger you need to be a good listener and reader. Why? Because you only have to gain from it:
- You’ll learn new things;
- You’ll be more insightful;
- You’ll be more interesting;
- You’ll be more original;
- You’ll be more helpful;
- You’ll adapt and connect easier.
And just for the fun of conversation, share with Blogsessive’s community a situation when being a good listener made your day. That could come in handy for some of us.
Photo credits to Sophie.