A friend was telling me about a strategy she learned as a salesperson. Before she could offer a product to a potentiual customer, she had to ask ten questions.
"Does your clientele tend to want a
few colors, or many?"
"Do they care more about low cost, or quality?"
"Do you expect to make a large purchase once, or smaller orders more frequently?"
"Tell me about your goals for your business."
By the time she had heard ten answers, she knew more about how she could honestly serve the person she was speaking with. Sometimes the buyers themselves have a nebulous image about their preferences until they articulate them. It has taken effort on her part to hold back from launching into a pitch, yet over time she
has seen the value.
What a fabulous practice. If someone asks for support, but we skip over the part where we listen and pile straight into advice, we are flying blind.
There have been quilt commissions where I should have turned up the
curiosity before beginning to sew. Maybe I could have created an even better embodiment of their wishes.
In my experience God does a lot of listening. He waits while I explain, or rant, about what I expect of Him. It is only when I look back that I observe how He provided the circumstances for me to patient, or generous, or forgiving. Which is what I told Him were my
goals all along.