Most onlookers would assign power to the speaker and identify the listener as passive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Listening is power. Listening empowers people to take responsibility, to be more productive, to influence their environment, and to increase the bottom line. Listening and communication skills give you the tools to manage conflict and feel a sense of control in the workplace.
Employees are more productive when their ideas are listened to and acted upon.
They will go the extra mile when their feelings are validated. This is true in personal relationships. As a seminar leader, it was always difficult to convince sales people to make support statements. A support statement is an acknowledgment of the customer's need. This validates the customer's concerns and creates empathy and trust.