ABSTRACT
Collaboration is a way of doing business as well as a style of working with others. It is not uncommon for individuals to work together without being collaborative about that work. All relationships, both personal and professional, are highly dependent on effective communications. Listening may seem as though it should he a simple task. However, for many of people, attentive listening is difficult, inhibited by loss of concentration, daydreaming, time constraints, or by mental rehearsal of our next response. The speaker's role is also more difficult than it appears at first glance. Parents are often told to "mean what people say and say what people mean" as a preamble to disciplining their children; this is also the golden rule of effective verbalizations. Speakers must first know what they are trying to express and second, state what they want as clearly and directly as possible.
