Becoming an expert listener: Good habits to practice
As a qualitative research consultant, I’ve spent hundreds of hours in your shoes “behind the glass” observing focus groups and interviews. I can’t say that every one of those observations resulted in an apparent “aha” moment or epiphany. But what I can say is that, through the years, I’ve learned that listening plays a key role in deciphering those observations and uncovering the critical insights that we’re looking for.
There’s a process to being a better listener. It takes work and preparation. So, I want to share with you some things that’ve made me a better listener and can help you too:
LISTENING PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN DECIPHERING THOSE OBSERVATIONS AND UNCOVERING THE CRITICAL INSIGHTS WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
Be Prepared
- Be in a distraction-free environment – turn off email and text notifications and make sure you’re in a place where family and pets won’t disturb you.
- Do the advance work by immersing yourself in the topic. Shop the category or talk to friends and family about their category experiences.
- Fuel yourself with adequate sleep and nutrition. It’s hard to focus when you are nodding off or hungry/eating.