Learning to Listen with Significant Others

How well you listen affects personal relationships and workplace communication. High level listening skills are part of every day decision-making, collaboration, and business growth. Through more than 25 listening activities found in the book, participants can practice and learn effective communication skills. They will gain a better understanding of their own listening behavior and preferences and the listening behavior and preferences of others. Ideal for businesses and corporations and their employees for use in strengthening listening skills. It is also a resource guide for school and church counselors and marriage preparation directors.

Bob Bohlken, Ph.D. Communication Professor Emeritus, retired from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO in 2000 after a 30 year tenure. His academic areas of expertise include Listening, Semantics, Interpersonal Communication/Non-Verbal, and Communicative Credibility and Trust.

Dr. Bohlken holds a B.S. in Language Arts Education with Distinction, Nebraska State College, Peru; Master of Arts Degree in Communication (Thesis: Comparison of Writing and Spoken Narrative Language Styles), University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Doctor of Philosophy in Communication (Dissertation: A Descriptive Study of the Relationship Between the Communication Variable of Interpersonal Trust and Speech Teacher Effectiveness at the College Level, University of Kansas, Lawrence.

Dr. Bohlken is a life member of the International Listening Association and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006. Additionally, he is a member of the International Society for General Semantics, Missouri Folklore Society, and the National Communication Society.

He is a life member of the International Optimist Club of Maryville, the Nodaway County Historical Society and the St. Gregory Catholic Church. He is actively involved in numerous community service efforts and serves on the Nodaway County Senior Center Senate.

Dr. Bohlken has been a member of the American Legion for 60 years and is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is an army veteran of the Korean War and the Cold War (1953-1956).

He and his wife, Mary Riley Bohlken, have been married for 55 years and are the proud parents of two children - Katy Gumm and Dan Bohlken and four grandchildren - Bobby and Brandon Gumm and Faith and Alex Bohlken.

Dr. Bohlken writes a human interest column for the weekly Nodaway News Leader and is the author of two children's books and five leisure reading, human interest books. He has written numerous articles for academic journals, presented at numerous academic conferences and continues to present communication workshops and lectures to civic organizations and schools.