Learning how to be your best communicator, whether in written or verbal form, is an art form that requires practice and effort to master. These simple tips can help you become an effective communicator. Be Direct and Approachable The most important step in being the best communicator is getting to the point. It can be…

Have you ever regretted cutting your child’s long story short or dismissing a child’s need to talk because you were preoccupied with something else? Have you ever grown impatient waiting for a child to finish their long-winded description of a picture they drew or all the things they know about dinosaurs because you were so…

Speaking well seems to far outweigh listening well in our culture. Perhaps if we weren’t so intent on “being heard” and if we all practiced better listening skills, we might find more cordial conversations, and people jump to conclusions less. There’s a multitude of categories for types of listening, including active listening, therapeutic listening, deep listening,…

By Tracy Tilson In a world saturated with information, nonstop noise, smartphones, and endless workplace productivity tools, the art of listening is truly on the decline. How can we stop and pay attention to one thing at a time when a waterfall of “noise” is cascading into our minds every second? Our phones, notifications, emails,…

By Daniel Colombo The true power of communication is knowing how to listen, not speaking. In fact, I always share the idea that we need to listen 80 percent of the time and speak only 20 percent. It is not only about the economy of words, but that, conceptually, the process of connecting with other people through the use…

So you’re at a party with friends, and Steve asks what you’ve been reading lately. You launch into a description of Sarah Bakewell’s “How to Live, A Life of Montaigne,” her biography of the “father of the essay,” telling Steve enthusiastically how much you’re learning from this book and how you want to read some…