Listening Leader

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.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart 1 Why Listen?Chapter 1 Approaching ListeningChapter 2 The Listening Leader—A First ApproximationChapter 3 Attitudes and DemonsPart 2 Motivational ListeningChapter 4 Toward Conversational Continuity and ResponsibilityChapter 5 Strengthening FocusChapter 6 Spanning the Communicational DividePart 3 Keeping More of What You Take InChapter 7 Eleven Tips for Boosting Memory and Recall AbilityChapter 8 Three Ways to Keep Listening SharpPart 4 The Listening Leader—RevisitedChapter 9 Listening and LeadershipChapter 10 The Seven Core Attributes of a Listening LeaderAppendixesAppendix 1 Functions of FeedbackAppendix 2 Thirteen Keys to Articulate ListeningResourcesIndex

Writing for managers and frontline employees alike, consultant Harris focuses on the practical in this guide to improving communication by focusing on listening and developing more effective leadership skills throughout an organization, with the primary goal being the development of listening to the level of influence itself. He describes why listening is elementary to effectiveness, addresses attitudes and demons, and describes how motivational listening contributes to conversational continuity and responsibility, strengthened focus, and an improved communicational divide.