Lending Listening.

Quoted from a book, the clues are:

1. Listen.

2. Don’t interrupt.

3. Don’t finish other people’s sentences.

4. Don’t say “I knew that”.

5. Don’t even agree with the other person (even if he praises you, just say “Thank you”).

6. Don’t use the words “no”, “but”, and “however”.

7. Don’t be distracted. Don’t let your eyes or attention wander elsewhere while the other person is talking.

8. Mantain your end of the dialogue by asking intelligent questions that (a) show you’re paying attention, (b)move the conversation forward, and (c) require the other person to talk (while you listen).

9. Eliminate any striving to impress the other person with how smart or funny you are. Your only aim is to let the other person feel that he or she is accomplishing that.