It’s been said that for many people the opposite of talking isn’t listening, it’s waiting.

I’m not perfect at it, but I endeavor to listen more than I talk, and I ask a lot of questions. Not just specific questions, but general ones as well.

You should always listen to what people are saying. It’s amazing what you can learn that way.

Last week I was on tour. And at one meeting, spurred on by a very straightforward question, my counterpart let forth quite a bit of useful competitive intelligence that, while I find it both fascinating and useful, I won’t bore you with.

Their frustrations with another vendor in the business had been building for quite some time, and all it took for the dam to break was for someone they like and trust (at least, I hope so) to ask them about it.

That also gives me inspiration for a much longer editorial, as events in my life often do. But in the meantime the moral of the story is to keep your ears open, and listen to what people tell you.

You may greatly benefit from it.