Research has shown that we spend about 70 percent of our waking hours in communicating. This time is divided between talking, listening, reading, and writing. The majority of our communication time (40 percent) is spent listening.  Listening is a method of taking in information. It is the channel used most often for learning. One serious misconception is that listening is the same as hearing. This may lead us to believe that listening is instinctive. Consequently, we make little effort to learn or develop listening skills, and thus neglect a vital communication function. The ability to listen proactively strongly influences the quality and outcome of all communications.

This course will familiarize you with the listening process, and how listening functions within communication. Knowing the basic listening process will make you aware of where communication can be adversely affected. You will discover the factors and variables that influence communication and listening and learn strategies to overcome weak listening skills. You will then apply these skills to business-based examples.

Learning Objectives:
	Understand the benefits of improved listening
	Learn the impact of behavior on effective listening
	Identify personal listening weaknesses
	Practice improved listening skills