Listening: How a Conversation Works

Man in business suit listening attentively to coworkerIt’s the best way to create a sense of trust.

By Steven E. Sacks
The NEW Fundamentals

You have probably heard the aphorism, “God gave you two ears and one mouth, so you should be listening twice as much as speaking.”

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It, therefore, stands to reason that if you intend to listen, you should know how to manage a conversation. One of the quickest ways to create an obstacle to a two-way conversation is beginning a sentence with words that will elicit only a “yes,” “no” or “I don’t know.”