Listening to people is a fine art that needs to be practiced. Failed discussions are almost always related to relationships between people. With a bit of training and willingness from both sides to act in a reasonable way, you will actually settle matters a lot faster because instead of trying to shout at one another to get heard, everyone can have their say in relative peace. Since we are different, we all have our own opinions on things. That’s perfectly fine. But everything has two sides. By removing our prejudice ( 偏见 ) to actually listen to what the other person has to say, we open ourselves up for proper communication with the other party. A discussion without eye contact is like a body without a soul. Practice eye contact when you speak with someone the next time. It will be worth your while because by doing so, you establish a new relationship between the people involved and this will help to form a better tie. To me, politeness is necessary in life. This helps when we speak with people on the phone. Sometimes, saying nothing says so much more. By being silent and observing what the other person has to say, we learn to pick up on their energies and the messages they don’t speak. This is a great tool if you work with people, because you can gain a deeper insight into their personalities by being a better observer. So if you follow the above, you’ll become a good listener.