Chapter Six
Good speaking is mostly listening
With all this stuff about speaking, it’s important to mention the value of shutting up, of asking questions and listening. Listen to what people are saying and how they’re saying it. Become genuinely fascinated by them. Ask them what they do (for enjoyment as well as for work), and you’ll learn useful information about their circumstances, values, ideas and motivations. These are clues to building a solid friendship or working relationship, and this information is invaluable when it’s time to persuade them of something. You’ll also learn some interesting stuff about how cars work, clothes are designed, or the politics behind ping pong tournaments; and make a new friend in the process. We all see ...
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