At the heart of humanity is an intrinsic need to feel loved and cared for. This desire articulates itself in many different ways, but one of the most basic expressions of this need comes in the form of being heard and respected. Listening to someone tells them that you care about what they have to say. But more than caring about the words they're speaking, the listener is saying that they respect the individual enough to take time out of their busy schedule to consider what they deem important. SEE ALSO: Stop listening to the 'alpha male' grift The problem is that we live in a world where people prefer hearing themselves talk over listening to others speak. Ultimately, this has created a hostile work environment where the powerful speak and everyone else listens, when a healthy business actually requires mutual conveyance and reception of ideas. 7 techniques that will help you be heard The structure of our society and the way in which people communicate in professional s