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Welcome to The Introverted Path!
Happy Thursday! Hope your week has been great so far.
It’s been an early spring here in Kansas City, I’ve been taking advantage of this warm weather and getting outside as much as I can.
But I’m still slightly scared we have one more cold freeze ahead of us 😬
Just a reminder: This post is part of a series highlighting one introvert superpower each week.
If you missed last weeks post, be sure to check it out here: Introvert Superpowers Part 1: Being Quiet.
So, without further ado…
Part 2: Listening 👂️
In today’s email:
Introverts and listening
Why listening can be a superpower
Links to other content I enjoyed this week
Let’s dive in 🤙
Are introverts good listeners? What does it even mean to be a good listener?
Poor listeners listen to respond, good listeners listen to understand.
It might be helpful to start off with some traits associated with good listening skills…
Feedback through nodding or verbal responses
Focus and attention on what the other person is saying
Asking good questions
Empathy toward their thoughts or experiences
Open-mindedness
Good body language
Not interrupting the other person
Not “one-up’ing” other people’s stories
Obviously not an exhaustive list, but it is a solid start.
Introverts aren’t naturally the first to jump into a conversation. We would actually prefer the other person to talk first as we ease into it.
We tend to process information internally.
We take information in, work to understand it, and provide a response when we are ready.
And since we have an inclination to move beyond small talk, this allows us to have more meaningful conversations.
Before I jump to then next section, you may be wondering what “one-up’ing” means.
And to be honest, it’s a term I just made up.
But it’s when people feel the need to “one-up” your story or opinion with one of their own.
Instead of giving their reaction or asking more questions when you finish a story, they launch into their own story meant to be even bigger than yours.
If you hadn’t noticed those people before, be on the lookout for them now. They’re everywhere.
Strengths that come from listening
1. Building relationships
Most people love to talk about themselves.
And there’s no better way to start a relationship off on the right foot than by being a great listener.
By paying attention, asking good follow up questions, and allowing them to speak you are able to build trust quickly.
This can go a long way in both the social and work worlds.
2. Making better decisions
One of the qualities of good listeners I noted above was open-mindedness.
There are a ton of situations throughout life where we aren’t the expert.
By listening to other people’s thoughts and being open to changing your mind, you can ultimately lead to better decisions.
Going back to strength #1, this also builds trust and credibility with your peers if they know their voices are being heard.
3. Continuous learning
I saw a quote recently that said something along the lines of “Approach every interaction with someone as if you had something to learn from them.”
And that has stuck with me. Everyone has expertise or knowledge in different areas.
By being a good listener, you are able to absorb some of that knowledge.
That makes you a more well-rounded individual and can even help you to identify new curiosities you want to explore further.
Links that I enjoyed this week 💥
Best,
BG