Behavior that builds or maintains trust #11: Listen First, part 1.

Covey (The Speed of Trust, 2006, p. 208ff) gives three principles behind Listen First: understanding, respect, and mutual benefit. I would add two more: hearing, being fully present in the conversation, and being open.

The first thing about listening first is you must be fully present in the conversation. No television on. No talking to two people at once. No thinking about where you're going for lunch. No looking around the room while the other person is talking. You are with that person, the two of you, your eyes are on theirs, and your ears are attuned to what he or she is saying.

This is a challenge for me. I usually am doing two or three things concurrently, so focusing on one is difficult for me. I have to squeeze myself into a box. But I can do it, I think.

If you're not sure about something, ask someone who knows you.

My goal here is to help entrepreneurs climb all the way to the top. How am I doing?

Entrepreneurship is the life's blood of all my professional activities. It makes them go. It informs my connection strategy.

It makes Sherpa Real Estate , my real estate referral business, go. See www.yourstopforrealestate.blogspot.com.

It powers my Sherpa Literary. Go to www.timswritingblog.blogspot.com for my ideas on writing and publishing and read my mystery for free at wwww.kearneymusicschoolmurders.blogspot.com or buy it from Amazon.com more cheaply than you can print it out.

It fuels my publishing enterprise, By and for Writersgo. See www.byandforwriters.blogspot.com where you can get a poem or a short story published.Dey