Practice self-talk

People tend to spend a lot of time talking to themselves in their own heads, particularly in the morning when feeling frazzled or stressed about what’s to come. 

If, for example, you have a big presentation at work and you notice that you’re spending the morning psyching yourself out, telli...

When listening to a colleague, try to focus entirely on his or her story rather than reflecting on your own position or experiences. Asking questions and actually taking into consideration their answers is a sure way to understand their story and prove helpful when providing advice.
Act...

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.