Really great points, Pavel. Active listening is so powerful. I also learned in sales just how powerful when I decided to approach a sales conversation with a CEO and CTO of a prospect. I didn't say much - only asked questions. The CTO had a fascinating story about installing hardware and software in the White House Situation Room. I was alert and asked questions that demonstrated that I was listening closely. At the end of the meeting, not having said anything about our services, the CEO shook our hands and said, "I can tell you are different from any of the other firms we have spoken to or worked with in the past" (by which he seemed to mean better). Feeling heard is key to showing commitment and a desire for your stakeholder to succeed.
The other thing I would offer as advice alongside all the great things you pointed out is that you must take care to decipher INTENT from what is said. Many of my stakeholders when I was building products would speak in features, but I would have to dig for why they thought those features were the right ones. Getting to intent allowed me to then recommend alternatives. Features (and the requirements they get translated into) are proxies for the thing they really want so intent makes room for innovation ("sustaining innovation" as Clayton Christensen would have called it - smaller scale, but valuable nonetheless).
Great first issue for you to take up. At the urging of a good friend, I dove into some wonky stuff about active listening and the unexpected impacts it can have. It changed how I approach most situations from my less patient younger self.
Really great points, Pavel. Active listening is so powerful. I also learned in sales just how powerful when I decided to approach a sales conversation with a CEO and CTO of a prospect. I didn't say much - only asked questions. The CTO had a fascinating story about installing hardware and software in the White House Situation Room. I was alert and asked questions that demonstrated that I was listening closely. At the end of the meeting, not having said anything about our services, the CEO shook our hands and said, "I can tell you are different from any of the other firms we have spoken to or worked with in the past" (by which he seemed to mean better). Feeling heard is key to showing commitment and a desire for your stakeholder to succeed.
The other thing I would offer as advice alongside all the great things you pointed out is that you must take care to decipher INTENT from what is said. Many of my stakeholders when I was building products would speak in features, but I would have to dig for why they thought those features were the right ones. Getting to intent allowed me to then recommend alternatives. Features (and the requirements they get translated into) are proxies for the thing they really want so intent makes room for innovation ("sustaining innovation" as Clayton Christensen would have called it - smaller scale, but valuable nonetheless).
This is some serious substance, thanks for adding all this insight Scott.
Great first issue for you to take up. At the urging of a good friend, I dove into some wonky stuff about active listening and the unexpected impacts it can have. It changed how I approach most situations from my less patient younger self.
I believe that :D I learned the hard way during my sales time ...