• Consider your purpose for reading and what you need to be able to understand, know, or do after reading.
• Determine what you already know about the material you are to read.
• Give the text an initial glance, noting headings, diagrams, tables, pictures, bolded words, summaries, ...

As your boss talks, actually listen and don't just think of a rebuttal. Ask open-ended questions to show you are engaged in the conversation.

• Your questions are a paraphrase of what your boss says. "I hear you say X, which to me sounds like Y. Is that correct?"
...

It means finding common ground with the person you're talking to and showing that you understand their point of view. When you talk about things that the other person is interested in, they're more likely to be engaged in the conversation and to feel like you're on their side.