Listen actively

Eddie Fadel
president, Ashworth Inc.

Eddie Fadel, the president of Ashworth
Inc., goes on sales calls to hear directly
what customers want.

“You may not like everything they say, and
you may not agree, but still listen,” he says.

Listening is sometimes a challenge, and
Fadel says that he’s a headlines guy, so he’ll
often pinch himself to keep focused on
everything the person is saying instead of
waiting for the headline.

“Be patient,” he says. “Let people finish
their thought. Don’t interject until they finish their thought. Quick to listen, slow to
speak. Just let them talk and take your
time.”

Also, ask questions, but do so without
making them feel like it’s an interrogation.

“If it’s too forceful on the questions, it’s interrogation,” says Fadel, who was featured in
October. “Once you get them talking, you
should ask questions that are led from the conversation. They may mention a fact about their
business or something, and you can ask, ‘What
do you mean by that?’ and you get more information on the areas that will be more meaningful in understanding their business.”

Once you get feedback and input from
people, you have to figure out what to listen
to and what to pass on.

“Write down some bullet points,” Fadel
says. “You always start out with the end in
mind. What is it that you’re trying to accomplish, and what information do you have
that you think is beneficial to helping you
accomplish your mission?”