Eyes and Ears

The human body is a very well designed machine. We have a brain that does swift calculations, makes great decisions, and drives the body through its motions each and every day. We have limbs that do various things, like walking grasping, pulling, pushing, climbing, and other motions that get us from one place to another. All in all, the human body is fairly fantastic in its design and performance.

Consider two parts of the body, the eyes and the ears. The eyes see whatever is within our vision range, and the ears hear whatever is within our realm of hearing. They are input devices, like a computer keyboard or a mouse. They absorb what they see or hear and input the information to our brains so that those brains can make decisions with that data. We input information so that our processors can churn through the data and give us the benefit of that processing.

We also have a mouth, that wonderful body part that provides our voice to the world. This is an output device, much like a computer monitor or printer. With the mouth, our brain can communicate our thoughts to others, providing input to their ears and even allowing their eyes to see our feelings though smiles, grimaces, and sneers. Did you ever hear the expression “an angry mouth”?

We have all heard the advice that we have been given two eyes and two ears, but only one mouth. That means that we should intake twice as much information through our eyes and ears as opposed to the information that we put forth through our mouths. In other words, look and listen twice as much as you speak. Unfortunately, we cannot resist the urge to speak, speak, and speak some more. We babble and pollute the ears, and eyes, of whomever we have targeted with our words.

Our brains are marvelous devices that work wonders with our bodies, multitasking all the time, even when we are asleep. However, our brains cannot, on their own, stop us from vomiting words all over the people with whom we meet and speak. We must make a conscious decision to stop all the talk and speak only when we think seriously about what we are saying. Then, and only then, can we build relationships with others.

Appreciation Marketing implies that we should listen to the needs of others, attempt to solve those needs for others, and provide information to others that will help them in their quest for improvement and success. We cannot know what someone needs unless we listen to them, observe them as they are speaking with us, and attempt to solve their needs. We cannot solve their needs if we do not listen and hear their cries for help.

Have you ever listened to yourself speak? Perhaps the next time you meet with someone, ask if you can record the conversation. Then play it back and count the number of times you speak to them before you listen, the number of times you cut their words off, answering their questions before they finish them, or the number of times you try to fix something about them before you hear what it is that is broken.

We all have two eyes and two ears to receive input from others. We only have one mouth to provide output to others. Don’t be the person who vomits words all over someone, before you know what it is that they need to hear from you. Don’t be the person who others say: “He never listens before he tries to sell”. Please leave me your comments, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com, or call me at 360-314-8691.