"Let me repeat that to make sure I understand what you're saying"

 

OR

 

 "Would you go over that again to make sure I understand...?"

 

OR

 

"Just to clarify and make sure I understood you correctly..."

 

Don’t take anything for granted as you progress. If you don’t understand something, ask for it to be repeated. Hark the saying; "I know you think you know what I said, but what I said is not what I really meant! “Also, summarizing what you think you heard gives the other person the opportunity to correct any misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Words and phrases can often mean different things to different people. We are all individuals and we each have our own view of the world! The ultimate feedback is at the end of your conversation when you are presenting your solution. This is the time when you are in a position to summarize what a person has, what they are looking for, why they want it and how you can help them get it by presenting your solution based on what you heard.

 

Do this correctly and you’ll have demonstrated that you heard and understood was being meant not just what was being said. And people love people who understand them. It's extraordinary what people will tell you if you listen to them. Why? Because you’ll be one in a million who does listen, and if you do it with love and care, you become a very valuable person. In fact, listening and responding correctly creates value in you and everything you represent. The point is that by not focusing on selling your solutions and services the beginning, but focusing instead on discovering and understanding another person’s problems first, to see whether you and Young Living can help, and also whether the other person is prepared to be helped, you will both see people’ s challenges more clearly. As well, when you understand what a person is really looking for and why they want it.  You will be able to customize your solution and present it so that it personally means something to them.

 

It may sound crazy to you right now that you may need to go to a restaurant and listen in on a conversation or practice "would you go over that again to make sure I understand?", but a true successful Young Living Networking Professional understands the importance of getting this right.  

 

You do not want to come off as asking a question for the purpose of digging for information to sell them something.  What you want is a sincere opportunity to create a relationship by clarifying what it is they need.

 

EXERCISES (remember practice makes perfect)

 

1. Think about a time you might have found yourself talking with someone and you realized that you were both on different pages. What was said meant something completely different from what you thought they did? Think about how that happened and the consequences of it.

 

2. When you’re talking with people today, make a point of feeding back to them what they are saying to you. Don’t overdo it!  Especially ask for clarification with words or phrases they might use that are unfamiliar to you.

 

3. Go to a busy restaurant and listen closely to two people talking. Observe whether their conversation is on the same track or whether they are having two or more different conversations!  If it's two or more, ask yourself whether you do the same thing and if you do, what you can do to correct it.