Communication Skills
Awareness
Words are important, but communication also occurs through body language, voice tone and other subtle signals. If you are unaware of these signals, you will miss out on a lot of useful information. Developing your awareness for these signals will give you clues about the thoughts and feelings of the other person - even if they do not talk about them. This ability to empathize is particularly useful in difficult negotiations where people are reluctant to talk openly.
Normally, our brains filter out most of the things we see and hear so that we can focus on what is important. For the most part, this is done very well, but sometimes important information is filtered out. Becoming more aware involves paying attention to the right things. This involves practice, but in time it is possible to increase your awareness to the point that, in some cases, you can appear to read minds.