Book excerpt: ***WINNER BUSINESS SELF-DEVELOPMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR: BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2022 *** As a leader, you work hard at crafting effective messages. You aim to influence, persuade, present. You have a voice, you have a platform... but is anyone listening? The reality is that the people you’re talking to are distracted. They’re listening at a rate of 125–250 words per minute, but they’re thinking at 1,000–3,000 words per minute. That gap means they’re likely to miss 75% of what you say. And guess what? It’s the same when it’s your turn to listen. What are you missing? At the very least, if your people don’t feel heard or understood by managers and leaders, trust is eroded, frustration increases and engagement is reduced. You need to listen and be heard...but most of us have never learned how. The Listening Shift will show you how to be a listening leader. Find out: why listening matters how to engage people across your organisation by listening how to have listening conversations – collaborative, connecting and inclusive how to help others listen to you. Janie van Hool is an expert leadership advisor in the art of communication. In the last 20 years, her practical, accessible solutions-focused approach to communicating has allowed hundreds of leaders to engage, inspire and influence their listeners.