How to Get Someone to Pay Attention and Listen to you
- 1). Give them respect. To get someone's respect, you got to earn their respect. You do that by being respectful to their opinions and how they feel. Constantly demanding or not being respectful over what they think, is not how you get them to respect you and listen in return.
- 2). Keep topics short and to the point. When you go on and on about something, people tune you out. Sorry, it's true. Even if you're not boring at all. Keep what you're saying to the point, quick enough and meaningful. Give them attention too, that way they're more receptive to listening to what you say.
- 3). Keep a positive attitude. When trying to get someone to listen to you, you got bring out a positive attitude in your voice. It's like you're a salesman in a way. Maybe not the best analogy to use. You got to sell what you're trying to get them to do in a way, though. You got to make it sound like whatever it is, it's just too good to say no too. Positive energy and methods usually work. Especially for kids.
- 4). Avoid verbal demanding. That's the exact opposite on how to get someone to listen to what you're saying, or want them to do. If you try to bully them into this, they definitely won't listen at all. Remember number one, be respectful.
- 5). Tone of voice. A bad tone, can go along way. Never shout, sound annoyed, or demanding. Come across positive, soft speaking, not too soft. Enough to clearly hear you. Again, remember number to give respect. Keep it short and sweet. Don't repeat yourself more than once. Let the actions speak louder, than the actual words. Body language and tone can get someone to listen or do what you want better than words.
- 6). Let them figure it out themselves. Something if your idea of getting someone to listen requires no words. If you're trying to get them to do something you think needs done for their best interest. That might require them finding out for themselves they are wrong. Sometimes no words get through, this is your only option. Either trying to figure ways to show them what they are wrong about without telling, or letting it happen itself. This is the most effective way, when they refuse to listen to any reasoning at all.
- 7). Don't be bossy. That's not a way to get someone to listen. Whether it's kids, co-workers, or whoever it is. They have to feel you respect them too, and you're not literally trying to be their personal dictator. No one likes that feeling, even if you're a parent and kind of are one. You won't be able to run someone's life, that's not the point of this article. Sometimes though a person has someone's else's best interest at heart in certain area's better than they do. We all could learn to listen more, no matter what age we are. We're never too old or young to learn something, or realize someone sees a situation better than we do.