Letter from the Editor
We Might Not Be The Great Listeners We Think We Are
You might not be the great listener you think you are . This isn ’ t a dig — I am historically guilty of interrupting to share my opinion instead of hearing what others are saying . You and me — we ’ re not alone . Research shows that while 96 % of people think they are good listeners , they only retain half of what people say . Compared to kids , adult brains have more computing power . We can comprehend about 400 words per minute , but the average person speaks 120 – 200 words per minute . What do we do with all that extra processing power ? We get distracted .
During a conversation , we often think about what we ’ ll say next , scroll through our phones and look at the clock — we do everything except listen . Actually , kids are much better listeners than adults because their brains are less developed . They home in on one game , song or topic ( or one adult conversation in the kitchen you thought they couldn ’ t hear ) and focus on that one thing with all their might .
We ’ ve noticed a shift in diminished listening skills in our industry of managed IT services , too . The success of our work as an MSP relies heavily on quality listening within our organization and with our clients , but the pandemic was tough on our team . Remote work set-ups allowed us to be less communicative with teammates . We forgot that people have lives , struggles , and their own stuff behind the screen . If we weren ’ t listening to each other , were we prepared to listen to clients ? The good news is that poor listening skills can be improved ! We hired a consultant who taught us the art of reflective listening . If you haven ’ t tried it , it ’ s great . You repeat back what you think you heard after someone is done speaking . “ What I hear you saying is ____. Is that right ?” That ’ s the difference between listening and listening with an intent to understand .
Quality listening is one of the top three strategies discussed in this issue of Momentum NJ . Listen first , ask questions , then offer . At IT Radix , this is the basis of every interaction we have , making a huge difference in the results we get for clients . We get calls daily with clients asking for something , but we find out that ’ s not really what they need . Once , a client called us asking to open a port on their firewall . For security reasons , we ’ re not quick to open a port . We also knew that probably wasn ’ t their true goal . So , we dug deeper : “ What are you hoping to accomplish by opening up a port ?” They replied ,“ I want to be able to access my video camera stream from home .” They want convenience , but we know they don ’ t want to abandon their security . We let them know their options , like using a VPN with multifactor authentication that balances convenience and security .
We can listen to body language , too . I was talking to a prospective client the other day , and her crossed arms and indirect eye contact suggested that perhaps she wasn ’ t giving us all the details . After a few more questions , she confessed her email was hacked and spam messages spread to thousands of her organization ’ s members . She was embarrassed at the situation , but because we listened , she trusted us enough to share .
Listening to understand is a skill we need to practice because we must actively work against our habits of doing 10 things at once . That ’ s why I tell myself daily to slow down , take a breath , and brush up on my listening skills . It ’ s why we regularly have sessions at IT Radix to improve our communication . At home or work , listening is a daily habit that has the power to build meaningful relationships and improve culture and productivity . People who feel understood — or at least heard — are generally happier . We ’ re all about making people happier when we can .
If you need someone to hear your IT concerns , give us a call . Our number is 973-298-6908 , and we ’ re ready to listen .
Warmly ,
Cathy Coloff Managing Member of IT Radix and Editor of Momentum NJ Magazine
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