Discuss the importance of listening as a vital element in Human communication

Discuss the importance of listening as a vital element in
Human communication


“ The story of communication begins with listening” (Daunt 72)

Yet tests show that although the average person spends 45% of his time listening to others, very little of what is heard is remembered even a few days later. (Stanton 134)
If then as Daunt believes, listening is so important to human communication why are we not better at it? The answer seems to be, that most people confuse hearing with listening, assuming that because we can hear we are listening. But hearing is an automatic sensory process, whereas listening is a voluntary process involving choice. Listening means deciding to give attention to another person, putting aside personal issues and refraining from interrupting. Listening does not come naturally like hearing or speaking. And unlike other elements of communication we are never taught how to listen. Developing the listening skills required to become a good communicat...