I write and speak about human communication, one of the most complex, mysterious, and satisfying activities. Good communication enables us to share our lives with others, to disagree civilly, to conduct our work, and even to celebrate life. It's a gift.

This website includes information about my efforts to understand and teach about bout human communication.

The beginning of all good human communication is listening. Listening is not merely "hearing." We "listen" with our whole beings — with all of our senses and with our hearts as well as our minds.

The more we try to communicate without first listening, the more confused, frustrated, and impatient we become. This is partly why so many people's lives today are technologically rich and relationally poor. Listening is an under-appreciated art in the information age. The monastics often lived by a wonderful rule: "Speak only if you can improve upon the silence."

I explore the importance of listening in my book Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously in the Information Age.

My book An Essential Guide to Public Speaking is a short, practical, and inspiring guide to public speaking. I show that one noble purpose of speaking is to serve the audience — to be a "servant speaker" who loves the audience as " neighbor." A website demonstrates some of the principles of servant speaking.

If you'd like to listen to me, invite me to speak to your group. Here's how.

So have a listen — here, there and everywhere.

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