Ironically, good communication is not always the strongest suit of those working in the communications industry. Communication is where all trust and relationships begin both in your personal as well as in your professional life. So how is it that “experts” in communication can sometimes be poor communicators? I believe the biggest reason is the inability to listen, which is paramount in our customer relations and service-oriented business. It sounds simple and logical enough, but how often do people truly listen to each other?

At Brandkarma we have instituted the 80/20 rule, and no, it’s not the Pareto Principle, but rather our client communications principle of 80 percent listening and 20 percent asking the right questions. We often record client calls (with their consent) to see what percentage of time we are listening vs talking. I recommend going through that exercise. It can be enlightening!