
97LAW #2: TACKLE THE PROBLEM
step into the classroom. ‘‘Listen up,’’ the teacher told us. Some of us
did, some didn’t. Those who did, and did it well, usually performed
better in school. They gathered more facts, retained more informa-
tion, and did better on tests. People usually liked them better.
But listening can be challenging. When we listen to someone
who is interesting, entertaining, or sharing information that we deem
important, it seems effortless and fun. However, if the person we
are listening to is a poor communicator, is boring, or isn’t sharing
information we care about, listening can be tedious at best and pain-
ful at worst. In a confrontation ...