Whether you are David Axelrod or Seth Godin, all comms strategists have a common ground that can be broken into 3 parts. That is, to ‘Understand, Define and Create‘. In my own brand building and campaign experience, I’d say the heavy lifting has been in the first two stages. Fulfilling that role requires an adroit listener with a natural curiosity and an all-essential desire to learn. Because as we all know, tomorrow rewards the curious.
So, what constitutes a good listener? Columnist Doug Larson was full of questions on every subject. He once said, ‘Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk’. He was the embodiment of the Turkish proverb: ‘Listening requires more intelligence than speaking’. I’d personally say being a good listener requires a childlike curiosity and an open mind, backed up by sharp analytical skills and a sensitive judgement.
I’d say humility is key when embarking on a new project. Especially with new people on the team. I think a prerequisite to an open mind is a degree of humility. Absorption: Once in that space, my priority – no matter how mundane or simple the information – is to achieve a grasp of the nature and significance of what is being said to you; the absorbing of information. Listen with the intent to understand instead of the intent to reply.
Then, if needed, I’ll top that up by asking a few questions to obtain the full picture. So, understanding comes before evaluation. Lastly, I say to myself: ‘Never miss a chance to shut up.’
The above may seem obvious. But in an industry often undermined by people who like the sound of their own voice, good listening skills have created some of the most fertile environments I have had the luck of working in. I wish good listening skills were more contagious. When creative people listen to one another with rapt attention, it rubs off nicely on others in the room, which in turn creates a higher creative wavelength that paves the way for ingenious work.
