The Clinton Three-Step is now standard procedure for nearly all politicians. In the town hall debate in the 2008 presidential campaign, John McCain made a show of personally approaching a military veteran who had just asked a question. But was the gesture genuine? No sooner were the proceedings over than McCain and his entourage were out of the building.
His opponent, Barack Obama, by contrast, lingered long after, as if he wanted to be there. Perhaps this was a calculated move, as well. But no one would dare suggest this of Bill Clinton. Even his enemies acknowledge that in the people department, Clinton was definitely not faking it. Into the late night and early morning, long after the media had gone to bed and his campaign staff had turned out the lights, Clinton could be found wherever two people happened to be gathered - a bowling alley, a late-night diner ...
According to Johns Hopkins psychologist John Gartner PhD, in his new book, "In Search of Bill Clinton": "He is ravenous to hear other people's personal stories."
And it wasn't just the common people. According to former Chairman of the Fed, Alan Greenspan, in "The Age of Turbulence," describing his first meeting with Clinton: "He made me believe he really had been looking forward to seeing me ... To my delight, he seemed to pick up on my sense of urgency about the deficit ... "
Okay, Clinton had a lot of things going for him: a genuine love of being around people, charisma, exuberance, intellectual curiosity, boundless energy, a photographic memory, and much more. But none of that would have worked were it not for his ability to listen.
When other people talked, Bill Clinton listened. Then, when it was Clinton's turn to talk, he showed that he had listened. No wonder the woman at the town hall debate was speechless. My God, someone was actually listening . And a politician, no less.
Once the person you are with gets that message, the talking comes easy. Take it from a former President, the conversation flows.
