What You Don't Know About Listening (Could Fill a Book): Leadership Edition

Why do today’s great leaders need to be great listeners? Because those who listen effectively are perceived to be more strategic, collaborative, and empathetic—all traits that ultimately influence others to follow them.

This book focuses on a single elegant behavior that helps you learn, model, and sustain a significant change in the way you listen. And—unlike any other technique—this skill emphatically proves to others that you are truly hearing them.

Once you learn the practical concepts, you’ll see exactly how it works when applied to day-to-day managerial situations like: Hiring, Onboarding, Delegating, Reviewing Performance, Coaching, Decision Making, Leading Change, Resolving Conflict, and Seeking Feedback. It’s so logical and easy to understand, you’ll start employing the techniques the day you finish reading the book.

Stuffed full of relatable examples, solid role-play scenarios, and skill-building exercises, this self-help book could also be used by HR professionals as a leadership development tool or the basis for an interactive management training program…but it’s also just plain fun to read!

Jon F. White
Jon White began his career as an educator; not surprisingly, his subject was Communications. He moved on to build a small chain of travel agencies, later sold for ten times the initial investment. Following that, Jon spent 20 years as a successful top-level business leader in the medical device industry.

Mr. White now infuses his work as an Executive Coach, Leadership Consultant, and valued Speaker with the practical knowledge he brought from each of his past experiences.

Jon has worked with senior leaders throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia and has consulted for a wide range of companies, including QualComm, Jenny Craig, Disney, Black and Decker, Callaway Golf, Chrysler, Kinder Morgan, Ingram Micro, Fieldstone Communities, Quest Diagnostics, and State Street Financial, to name just a few.

With a passionate interest in the behaviors necessary to provide outstanding leadership, Jon's professional journey has led him to focus on Listening because he believes it to be the skill that is fundamental to almost all other leadership attributes.

Alexandra Barton Taketa
Alexandra Taketa is a certified executive coach and an experienced Learning and Development professional. She thrives on working with leaders to build the skills necessary for success. Alexandra has coached executives of Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and governmental organizations including: Gap Inc., Allergan, Motorola, AdFlight, Hewlett Packard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Amigos de las Americas. She has held senior Learning & Talent Development roles at Allergan, Gap Inc., and Mercer Management Consulting.

Alexandra is expert at creating leadership and management development programs, developing competency models, orchestrating succession planning, and facilitating cross-functional and enterprise-wide organization design initiatives.

A proud mother of two, Alexandra is an old soul, a natural teacher, and a masterful listener who brings a rich and dynamic spirit and energy to her work.