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Lahman offers presentation on the art of listening well

Mary LahmanFORT WAYNE, Ind. – Many areas of your life can be better if you listen more effectively. You can be a more compassionate friend, a more effective leader, make more sales, have a better family life. Women looking for ways to take their listening skills to a new level will get practical tips on how to do so at a free presentation Dec. 1.

Dr. Mary Lahman, an educator on the listening-centered approach to communication who co-authored a textbook on the subject, will speak about “The Art of Listening Well” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, at the Fort Wayne campus of Manchester University, 10627 Diebold Road.

It is the third installment of the Manchester University Women’s Impact Project: Conviction in Action series designed to educate and empower women of northeast Indiana to use their passions and leadership skills to make a difference.

“Listening is the best gift you can give someone,” said Lahman, professor of communication studies at the University. She  has a passion for the underlying ethical dimensions of listening. “The first duty of love and respect is to listen.”

Lahman will speak about how we listen, what doesn’t work, what does, and what approaches we can take to improve. This information will be followed by practice in conscientious listening, which will help reinforce the concepts involved.

The presentation will be preceded by a networking reception with light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar at 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP by Nov. 25.

The Women’s Impact Project is a quarterly series featuring discussions on contemporary topics. The debut event in May featured Carolene Mays-Medley, vice chair of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, who spoke about how faith empowers her to persevere. In September, Dr. Dave Johnson, a licensed clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist, spoke about how to bring mindful presence into our lives.

For more information about the Women's Impact Project, contact Lisa C. Schall at 260-470-2702 or lcschall@manchester.edu.

November 13, 2015