Listening means Learning

What's super about academia is as much as there's an opportunity to teach, there's one to learn too. In fact, most of the time. What's even better is that the academic environment is most conducive to learning. Though I should add, it isn't always that academics, including me are open to such learning. At times we are blinded too.

Imagine my surprise when a student tells me our interactions have more or less been a monologue! What, me?! Yes, she tells me, its true.

So I step back, and realise she's right, its true. That means I've diminished my chances at learning. Because I am not listening. I am talking. Learning requires that I be willing to listen, and more importantly I be open to the fact that I too can learn.

Its the same with marketers. The best of them are listeners and therefore learners. Now this requires they accept two realities. One, that the consumer is the teacher and therefore 'listening' to him becomes paramount. Two, to learn, it must be accepted that there's much to be learnt. About consumers. And so every engagement of a consumer with a marketer is an opportunity for learning. Such engagements can't always be monologues. Its gotta be a dialogue. Which in turn again means the consumer be provided with a medium to revert, and that such responses be captured, analysed, acted upon.

Marketers that won't make it in the future are those that deny themselves an opportunity for learning from consumers. Of course, at times deciding what might be best for consumers without a dialogue may work, but surely it can't for all time. Just like, teaching means its gotta be a monologue at times, but again, it can't be for all times.

I for one promise to listen and learn. And that means tomorrow it'll be dialogue. Actually, looking forward to it.