As a young man, Dr. Ernesto Sirolli headed to Zambia to work with an Italian NGO (nongovernmental organization) focused on building local agriculture. He had good intentions and dreams of helping the Zambian people, but every project his organization sponsored failed miserably. In a 2012 TED talk, Dr. Sirolli recounts his attempts to teach the Zambian locals to grow Italian tomatoes and zucchini (which they had no interest in doing!). Just when the tomatoes were ripening to perfection, hundreds of hippos emerged from the river and ate absolutely everything. The Italians were shocked; the Zambians smiled knowingly and explained that this is why they don’t have agriculture. Sirolli learned a powerful lesson: “Why don’t we, for once, instead of arriving in the community to tell people what to do, why don’t [we], for once, listen to them?” (TED, 2012). From this and similar experiences the Sirolli Institute developed the Enterprise Facilitation model, which focuses on responsive, person-centered approaches to local economic development through listening to local people’s needs, passions, dreams, abilities, realities, and prospects. As a result, more than two hundred fifty communities around the world have successfully implemented locally focused programs for economic development.

As Ernesto Sirolli learned, it pays to listen well. In every aspect of life—from winning at Quizzo to arguing for a pay raise to helping a rural merchant establish a successful trade—listening well is essential to achieve success. Put simply, listening affects more than your ability to communicate: it enables you to live a productive, satisfying, and healthy life (Bodie & Fitch-Hauser, 2010). Let’s look at a few specific examples.