"Seek first to understand then to be understood."

The rules for communication are different in personal relationships than they are in professional ones. In professional relationships our communication aims to persuade; in a loving personal relationship our communication aims to understand. Feeling understood and feeling loved are one and the same. Loving communication is always about our willingness to understand another's point of view without the need to impose our own. We may never agree with their view, but our willingness to listen with deep emotional empathy, understand, and respect their position is one of the greatest gifts of love we can offer.

 "Seek first to understand then to be understood." - Steven Covey