At the negotiation table, good communication skills are an absolute must. We have to find ways to align with the other side, understand their perspective and create a high-trust environment.    What if I told you that these skills are just as necessary at the family gatherings we’re going to be having over the next few weeks?    Holidays can be joyful and fun, but being around family can also be stressful. We still need to communicate intelligently, and avoid adding fuel to the fire in highly charged conversations.    What are 3 communication skills that will serve us in every area of our lives? How do we set aside our own agenda, and break down barriers through the conversations we have?    In this episode, I talk about the communication skills we all need to nurture, and why the holidays are a great time to practice them!  Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode    - The power of intelligent communication  How do we listen on a deeper level so we can pick up on useful cues and pieces of information that move the conversation forward?    - What we often get wrong about conversations  What is the main purpose of a conversation, and how do we steer our conversations in a positive direction?    - How to create connection with the people we talk to Why is it so easy to respond to people from the default setting of our own agendas, and what can we do instead?