Next, there is cathartic communication which allows the release of pent-up emotion and often amounts to one person spilling his or her troubles on concerned, caring ears. Then there is informative communication in which ideas, data, or information is shared. Last of all is persuasive communication where the purpose is to reinforce or change attitudes or to produce action. Listening is our primary communication activity. And, in business, listening has often been cited as being the most critical managerial skill.
Most individuals are inefficient listeners.
Tests have shown that immediately after listening to a ten-minute oral presentation, the average listener has heard, understood, properly evaluated, and retained approximately half of what was said. In other words, we quite often comprehend and retain only one-quarter of what is said. Promotes better understanding of people 6.