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In today's complex, fast-paced, high-intensity organizations, effective communication is paramount. But all too often, messages are misinterpreted, ignored, or missed altogether-stifling creativity, dampening morale, and even threatening achievement of basic goals. Harris's book is about improving communication by focusing on listening, and, in the process, developing more effective leadership skills throughout the organization. It explores ways in which managers and employees alike can elevate listening to the level of influence-to maximize conversational value and relationships through response and feedback.
The Listening Leader integrates insights from management and psychology to offer practical techniques for overcoming common barriers to effective listening. With tips for keeping listening sharp and advice for boosting memory and recall, Harris provides readers with the tools to engage in much more productive dialogue with colleagues, supervisors, employees, and customers, as well as within relationships beyond work.
The Listening Leader demonstrates that turning listening from a passive, compliant activity into an active, influential one contributes to more dynamic, trusting, collaborative, candid-and profitable-relationships through which everyone benefits.
List of contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part 1 Why Listen?
Chapter 1 Approaching Listening
Chapter 2 The Listening Leader-A First Approximation
Chapter 3 Attitudes and Demons
Part 2 Motivational Listening
Chapter 4 Toward Conversational Continuity and Responsibility
Chapter 5 Strengthening Focus
Chapter 6 Spanning the Communicational Divide
Part 3 Keeping More of What You Take In
Chapter 7 Eleven Tips for Boosting Memory and Recall Ability
Chapter 8 Three Ways to Keep Listening Sharp
Part 4 The Listening Leader-Revisited
Chapter 9 Listening and Leadership
Chapter 10 The Seven Core Attributes of a Listening Leader
Appendixes
Appendix 1 Functions of Feedback
Appendix 2 Thirteen Keys to Articulate Listening
Resources
Index
About the author
Richard M. Harris is President and Founder of Richard M. Harris Associates, a consulting firm specializing in business communication. He has presented management communication and leadership training programs to a wide variety of Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies, and speaks to professional and industry associations around the country. His articles on effective communication have appeared in such publications as Training and Development, Corporate Meetings & Incentives, Language Sciences, and Financial Executive.
