Habit 5: Empathic Listening: The Key to Communication From: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

In "Habit 5 -Empathic Listening: The Key To Communication," Stephen R. Covey explores the idea of communication as mutual understanding. Using what Covey calls Empathic Listening, he instructs us on how to reflect what a person says in our own words and in this way gain a deeper understanding of that person's perspective and feelings. To truly listen is NOT to advise, counsel, probe, judge, question or analyze. It is listening with the intent to understand. Covey says Empathic Listening is to the heart what air is to the body.