Dealing with people and their oftentimes difficult, contrary opinions and positions makes up much of your day, I would venture to guess. Helping you understand and work with these people makes up almost all of our days. One of the universal truths to success lies in truly understanding the people you’re working with: their values, beliefs, interests, experience and history. This takes some time, patience, diplomacy and a developable skill for serious listening. Winston Churchill said it well, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”