Hello, my friend! How are you? If you're out of time or "in a rush", go to the last paragraph of this text for a fast answer.

In times of immediate responses and connection 24 hours a day, talking about long-term transformation is a risk! But… we believe you can (and must!) dream big, and make a daily effort to get better every day. This is our mission - seeing you speaking English and being a Leader wherever you go. "The 5 Essential People Skills" was written by Dale Carnegie and its goal is to improve your people skills. In other words, to improve your relationships at work and at home.

Last class we talked about mistakes we make when we're having a conversation. We studied barriers like comparing yourself to others, interrupting and filtering the person's comments. Today we learn how to encourage people to talk and express their feelings.

People will be open if they feel you are really interested in their opinion. "It's important to make frequent comments that reflect your understanding of what's just been said". Dale Carnegie says that if the speaker gets no comment from you for two or three minutes, he or she may conclude that you've lost interest or don't understand what you're hearing.

Be sincere if you don't understand something. "Ask questions and request clarification of anything if you don't quite understand. Asking people to explain their feelings helps draw them out to be more open and can help lead them to greater insight", says the writer.

Show interest, my friend. Be aware of your body language, once it's 90% of your communication. "Interpersonal communication is visual". Be aware that interruptions, advice, or judgmental questions are all barriers to assertive listening. How often do you give advice to people? Comment here and see you next class!