Listening sets the tone for relationships and emotional connection. It allows empathy and creates interpersonal bonds. Successful people don’t master speaking but rather listening.

True listening is more than an auditory process. It takes in all senses especially those involving hearing and observation. As a communication process, it commands about 45% of an executive’s time. Information is key to performance. Listening is the way that information is gathered.

People speak at about 125-250 words per minute. Hearing is faster at about 350 to 500 words per minute but processing and analyzing what has been taken in is faster still at 800 to 3000 words per minute. While more than 35% of businesses think listening is a top skill for success, less than 2% of people have had formal education with listening.

Listening is an active, deliberate choice. It requires attention, energy and engagement. It begins by connecting with the sender. Communication is 55% nonverbal. This takes into account visuals and observation. The next 38% is auditory. This accounts for tone and other sounds. Only 7% of listening involves words.