In today’s society, people are constantly bombarded with messages telling them what they need and why they need it. Whether through the media or advertisements (via billboards, print, online, TV, etc.), our culture has become unphased at being talked at , rather than listened to .

?Yet, it is critical that service providers really listen if they hope to achieve a positive outcome for clients. Doctors are a good example. Imagine a doctor who doesn’t listen to a patient’s medical history and symptoms before giving a diagnosis.