For decades, I have said that listening is one of our most powerful communication tools, yet one of the most neglected.
That's why one of my favorite chapters in any business book is Chapter Five in Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." Chapter title: "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood."
In this video, I describe the 5 levels of listening Covey identifies--and I challenge you to select the level that describes your usual listening pattern:
http://tinyurl.com/5listenlevels
I enjoy watching clients move toward and eventually reach the 5th level, which Covey calls Empathic Listening.