Isn't it aggravating when you're talking to someone and they interrupt you or you feel like they're not paying attention? I saw this whiteboard at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Boston. What surprised me was when someone wrote down "Listened"

It's the simple things in life that can make a big impact on someone.

I feel many people "think" they are listening when other people are talking to them, but in reality, they are thinking of their next meeting, email, or phone call they have to make in this on-the-go era.

Rather than focusing on yourself, try to understand the other person's perspective. I get it -- it's hard to do when we have so much on our minds.

But I personally believe the first step in being an effective leader is being an effective listener.

I teach a few strategies in my keynote, but an exercise I like to do is re-word what they said back to them in my own words so I know I'm understanding their perspective correctly.