I met a distinguished Botanist at a dinner party given by a New York book publisher. I had never talked with a botanist before , and I found him fascinating. I literally sat on the edge of my chair and listend while he spoke of exotic plants and experiments in developing new forms of plant of life and indoor garden of my own , and he was good enough to tell me how to solve some of my problems.

       As I said, we were at dinner  party. There must have been dozen other guest. But I violated all the canons of courtesy, ignored everyone else and talked for hour to the botanist.

        Midnight came. I said good night to everyone departed. The botanist then turned to our host and paid me several flattering compliments. I was most stimulating, he said. I was this, and I was that. And he ended by saying  I was most interesting  conversationalist.

An interesting conversationalist?

        I had said hardly at anything at all. I couldn't have said anything if I had wanted to without changing  the subject, for I don't know  anymore about botany then I do about the anatomony of a penguin. But I had done this: I listed instanly. I had listened because I was genuinely interested. And he felt it. Naturally that pleased him. That kind of Listening is one of the highest compliments we can play anyone.  And so I had him thinking of me as good conservasationlist when in reality I had been merely a good listener and encourage him talk. 
                                          -DALE CARNEGIE