chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

I received this as a partial....not the complete article.
I'm sorry I don't have access to LinkedIn from work to give you the link.

I've excerpted portions that I think are relevant to discussions in the Attic.

I am interested to hear your opinions.

9 Sk**ls You Should Learn That Pay Dividends Forever
Dr. Travis Bradbury
Published on March 2, 2016 on LinkedIn

Emotional intelligence (EQ).
EQ is the “something” in each of us that is a bit intangible.
It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions that achieve positive results.
EQ is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships.
Decades of research now point to EQ as the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack.
It’s a powerful way to focus your energy in one direction, with tremendous results.
TalentSmart tested EQ alongside 33 other important workplace sk**ls and found that EQ is the strongest predictor of performance, explaining a full 58% of success in all types of jobs.
Of all the people we’ve studied at work, we've found that 90% of top performers are also high in EQ.
On the flip side, just 20% of bottom performers are high in EQ. You can be a top performer without EQ, but the chances are slim.

Listening.
If we’re not talking, we’re listening, right? Well, not exactly.
A lot of times, we think we’re listening, but we’re actually planning what we’re going to say next.
True listening means focusing solely on what the other person is saying.
It’s about understanding, not rebuttal or input.
Learning how to suspend judgment and focus on understanding the other person’s input is one of the most important sk**ls you can develop.
Listening is a bit like intelligence—most everyone thinks they’re above average (even though that’s impossible).
A study at Wright State University surveyed more than 8,000 people from different verticals, and almost all rated themselves as listening as well as or better than their co-workers.
We know intuitively that many of them were wrong.

Knowing when to shut up.
Sure, it can feel so good to unload on somebody and let them know what you really think, but that good feeling is temporary.
It’s human nature to want to prove that you’re right, but it’s rarely effective.
In conflict, unchecked emotion makes you dig your heels in and fight the kind of battle that can leave you and the relationship severely damaged.
When you read and respond to your emotions, you’re able to choose your battles wisely and only stand your ground when the time is right.
The vast majority of the time, that means biting your tongue.

Staying positive.
We've all received the well-meaning advice to "stay positive."
The greater the challenge, the more this glass-half-full wisdom can come across as Pollyannaish and unrealistic.
It's hard to find the motivation to focus on the positive when positivity seems like nothing more than wishful thinking.
The real obstacle to positivity is that our brains are hard-wired to look for and focus on threats.
This survival mechanism served humankind well, back when we were h****rs and gatherers and living each day with the very real threat of being k**led by someone or something in our immediate surroundings.
That was eons ago.
Today, this mechanism breeds pessimism and negativity through the mind's tendency to wander until it finds a threat.
These "threats" magnify the perceived likelihood that things are going—and/or are going to go—poorly.
When the threat is real and lurking in the bushes down the path, this mechanism serves you well.
When the threat is imagined this mechanism leaves you with a soured view of reality that wreaks havoc in your life.
Maintaining positivity is a daily challenge that requires focus and attention.
You must be intentional about staying positive if you're going to overcome the brain's tendency to focus on threats.

Keenan Loc: Central Coast California

It's all good recommendations for civil, intelligent discussion, and for maintaining a positive outlook.

But people's brains work differently. It takes a certain amount of maturity and brain types to operate this way. There are some who will always focus on their fears, prejudices, and negativity. You can't change these people.

Also, don't expect the potty mouth juvenile trolls to take heed of any of this. If you do, you will be disappointed.

FrumCA

Here's a version of the entire list.
http://www.talentsmart.com/articles/9-Sk**ls-You-Should-Learn-That-Pay-Dividends-Forever-2147446636-p-1.html