The importance of listening

Let’s zoom out and consider why listening is such an important skill in the first place.

Source

“Nonverbal communication allows us to contextualize the meaning of verbally expressed words, as well as any hidden meanings they might have (Ishikawa et al. 2006). A study conducted by Sloane et. al. (2004) identified that the most effective nonverbal behaviors use facial expressions and hand gestures.”
– Mehrabian, A., & Ferris, S. R., Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels, (1967)

What influences our listening abilities?

“A university of Minnesota study showed that students undertaking specific listening training improved their ability to understand the spoken word by 25%, and in some cases by up to 40%.”
– Harvard Business Review

“After listening to a 10-minute oral presentation, the average listener has heard, understood, and retained 50% of what was said. Within 48 hours, that drops off another 50% to a final level of 25% overall retention.”
– Listening Statistics: 23 Facts You Need to Hear

“Within the category of ‘oral and interpersonal skills’, effective listening is the most important skill that an accountant should possess.”
– An Analysis of the Business Communication Skills Needed By Entry-Level Accountants

The four basic types of listening

Passive

A passive listener listens to the speaker like a wall supports a plant.

Competitive

Communicating with a competitive listener is like realizing you’re in a boxing match when you were expecting an informal tennis match.

Selective

Talking to a selective listener is like playing chess with only half the pieces.

Active

Talking with an active listener resembles wholeness. Simply put, it is a pleasure to experience. Nobody’s time is wasted, and there is no competition. It is also efficient, effective, and impactful for everyone involved.

Active listening means listening to what we are being told with an intentional effort to understand the point of view of others, their motivations, thoughts and expectations while suspending any judgment.

Good active listening skills

Harvard business review names the following skills as key to good active listening.

1. Think ahead: Active listeners think about what conclusions could be drawn and what intent the speaker has. They ask questions designed to deepen their insight into the content of the message.
2. Look at the evidence: Good listeners evaluate and ask questions about what the other person is saying.
3. Review and mentally summarize the points of the talk.
4. Pay attention to nonverbal communication like facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures.
5. Give physical acknowledgement during a conversation: Nodding, eye contact, and positive body language help facilitate open and honest interactions.

Before we delve further into active listening, let’s explore other listening types and see how these behaviors can be modified to support active listening instead.