Be an aggressive listener

When I talk about an ‘aggressive listener’, I don’t mean someone who’s angry! It’s a bloke who’s ready to work hard to make sure he really hears what the other person is saying. He keeps eye and heart contact, and has a single focus.

Keep your antennas up. There’s usually more and deeper. To get to the story you must listen, listen, listen and you will get it eventually.

Take care at the start of all connections that you hear and listen. Show genuine interest and don’t rush when you meet a person, so you can remember their name. Everyone likes to hear their own name, so try to lock it in your memory straight off. Listen hard!

There’s always more to the story and you’ll get it if you listen with your head and your heart. Don’t rush. You can learn to listen. It doesn’t always come naturally.