Listening Skills

Abstract

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication; without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. If there is one communication skill you should aim to master, then listening is it. Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to many benefits: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information, which in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all positive human relationships. Spend some time thinking about and developing your listening skills – they are the building blocks of success. Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives, including: a greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades at school and in academic work, and even better health and general well-being. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, attentive listening can bring it down.