I politely declined an offer of tea during one of my first sales meetings. It was interpreted as being disrespectful to the supplier, and we lost the deal. I missed the clues about the business ...

This post is Part 1 of a two-part series. Have you ever spaced out when someone was talking to you? Or have you ever talked to someone whom you had a feeling wasn't listening? They were somewhere else ...

Whether reading a book or listening to a recording, the goal is the same: understanding. But these activities aren’t exactly alike.