"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." -Ernest Hemingway, American Writer, Ernest Hemingway books//

Listening is the most respectful act one person can do toward another. It signifies that you value the other person's opinion, and it enhances their feelings of significance. By listening, you can better understand both what that person is trying to tell you and what he or she needs from you. Listening leads to dialogue, where each addition to the communication or conversation advances the objective of it toward a definite end. As Hemingway says, most people don't listen at all though - they simply wait for their turn to talk. This turns dialogue into discussion, which is a verbal tennis match of tossing points and counterpoints back and forth over the proverbial net and almost always results in a draw. How many times do you walk away from a conversation feeling dissatisfied? Like nothing was really accomplished? If you were to listen back to a recording of it and do root-cause analysis, I'd be willing to bet that the lack of productive exchanges was a result of one or more of you not listening to the other. Why is it so important to bend people to our will? Why do conversations, and other types of communication, so often become confrontational rather than cooperative? Ego could be one reason; ignorance another. Regardless of the cause, once you are aware that listening is important, it really comes down to disciplining yourself to consistently employ it during conversations. If you train yourself to utilize this key behavior, you will likely notice a change in how others react toward you. Think about the people who have had the most influence in your life - did they listen to you? How did they make you feel important? You, too, can be one of those special people, just by improving your listening skills. Great leaders are usually great listeners, and I remember one in my life who often told me that I have two ears and one mouth for a reason. You can be a better communicator and leader, as well as let others know that you value them, by learning to listen more effectively. Start listening today!