By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to get the most challenging audiences to listen and respond to you. Reading time: 1:58.

        Listening with your eyes in particular and —  with your entire face in general — is a keen leadership skill that very few leaders in my experience have mastered. We can all learn the art of  listening with your eyes  from Art Linkletter –my all time “eye” deal leader extraordinaire — and host of  a network television talk show in the 1960s.

Art Linkletter interviewing youngster on network television.

          For 17 years on network television– as the then longest running daytime program–  Art Linkletter made an art of conversing with people known more for their lack of attentiveness and their inclination to fidget and even cry. But Linkletter calmed those 5-10 year old youngsters. With his eyes.

     Linkletter would kneel and bring his face up close to the face of a youngster. He would ask questions but the kids only saw his wide eyes like huge lollipops. Inviting. Sweet. Juicy.

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