Listen to Succeed

Book excerpt: Listen to Succeed: How to Identify and Overcome Barriers to Effective Listening helps readers gain a better understanding of how listening effectively is the key to increased knowledge, business success, and productive relationships. The text is divided into five chapters. Chapter One defines listening, extols its importance, draws connection between listening and self-esteem, and provides readers with the tools needed to begin to listen with intent. Chapter Two is devoted to external listening barriers. Readers learn about hearing and visual barriers and are provided with tools to better understand and break down these barriers. Chapter Three teaches readers about internal listening barriers, including power and control, performance anxiety, lack of focus, emotional triggers, and more. Chapter Four addresses technology-driven listening barriers, specifically exploring devices and social media. The final chapter helps readers apply what they've learned and offers strategies for enhanced listening. Designed to help readers enhance their listening skills, Listen to Succeed is ideal for courses across the curriculum, including communication, management, leadership, psychology, education, human resources, anthropology, journalism, sociology, political science, and human development. Leslie Shore earned her M.A. in human development and communication from St. Mary's College and her B.A. in anthropology and art history from Simmons College. She is an associate professor of communication at St. Mary's College, a faculty member at Metropolitan State University, an adjunct instructor in communication at Rasmussen College Online, and the owner of Listen to Succeed, a company dedicated to helping build client relationships through listening and communication skills.