Listening is a great skill. Once you learn to listen, the world is different. You become more effective as you listen, in part because more people then listen to you. You also, obviously, learn more when you listen. The hard part is not why, but how. Just a few steps gets us there.
Step One: Stop talking. You can’t listen when you talk. No matter what.
Step Two: Stop getting ready to talk. Don’t think about what you are going to say next, just stop planning. Instead, concentrate on the other person and what they are saying. Try not to look bored.
Step Three: Say “Tell me more.”
Step Four: Repeat steps one through three. Forever.
Eric M. Ralph 