The ability to listen is at the heart of every healthy relationship. The best and most trusted leaders, bosses, co-workers, spouses/partners, parents, helping professionals, friends, customer service reps, grocery clerks, etc. know how to listen. There are few more valuable gifts you can give the people life than your willingness and ability to listen deeply.
By listening, you create a climate of respect and nonjudgment that allows others to express themselves fully. You make it safe for them to express not only surface opinions but also their deeper feelings and needs as well as inner experience and wisdom. Listening is how you build trust and rapport, acquire vital information, overcome conflict, promote learning and healing, unleash motivation, and empower others to achieve more.
Roger K. Allen, Ph.D. – author, consultant, coach, teacher – is an expert in human and organizational development. Dr. Allen has created programs and methodologies on personal transformation, leadership, teams, communication, and organizational effectiveness and has trained more than 1200 coaches and consultants around the world to use his methods. Tens of thousands of people and hundreds of organizations have benefited from his life-changing programs.
