Key success factors to get others to listen to you

What makes someone captivated by what you’re telling them? What makes them totally engaged in the conversation? How to ensure you have their true ‘listening ear’? In this insight we’ll explain how to get others to listen to you. Read about the 3 ‘key ingredients’ to get the full attention of your conversation partner.

Make it insightful

When are you listening most intently during conversations? If you’re like us, it’s when people tell you something NEW. Something you didn’t know of. A whole new perspective on the problem. A whole new idea as how to move forward. You have that ‘a-ha’ moment’. You think to yourself ‘waw – I didn’t know that – this is fascinating’!

Now compare that to all those discussions where people only discuss things you are familiar with… where you are thinking to yourself ‘I already know that – tell me something new’…

Get the point?

Make it vivid

We all know it – a presentation with only numbers, numbers and numbers typically is not very engaging… A presentation with theories, theories and theories isn’t either.

Bring your discussion to live. Keep it animated. Make it memorable.

There are so many ways to do so. Why not tell a story – and provide sufficient details and emotions, so people get completely immersed in your tale. Or give a couple of striking real-life examples where people start thinking ‘waw – of course…’. Show compelling pictures. Add a little movie. Do insight-providing fun exercises. Just grab the spirit of your audience…

Make it light

Have you ever been in a discussion where you thought ‘oh no … are they still not finished’? Chances are high the other party was rambling on. Talking too much. Being too long.

Pascal Blaise once wrote ‘Je vous écris une longue lettre, parce que je n’ai pas le temps d’en écrire une courte’ (I’m writing you a long letter, because I didn’t have the time to write a short one).

Keep your ‘monologue’ light. Short and animated. Lively and exciting. Add some humor. Do something unexpected. Whatever – as long as you keep it ‘easy and airy’.

For your next presentation – check out these 3 elements to get others to listen to you. Are you truly providing new insight? Is your presentation vivid? Is it light? If so – truly so – chances are high your audience will be completely engaged! Good luck!