Why Listening
Listening creates change. It establishes shared understanding, generates momentum, and informs action.
Effective listening is more than just receiving information. It is also about understanding the context of the persons involved. It requires preparation and an approach that can resolve deadlocks or dead-ends. Listening establishes direction, creates alignment, and builds commitment towards shared goals.
Research on Listening
We have developed a comprehensive database of listening research consisting of research articles, essays, and thought leadership published in over 30 research journals and major business & management magazines.
Here are 5 insights from peer-reviewed research articles from the International Journal of Listening for anyone that is interested in diving deeper into the world of listening.
A positive listening environment can improve financial outcomes
Johnston, M. & Reed, K. (2017). Listening Environment and the Bottom Line: How a Positive Environment Can Improve Financial Outcomes. International Journal of Listening, 31, 77-79.
The study conducted with 7,939 business units in 36 companies found that workplaces with engaged employees do a better job at retaining employees, increasing customer satisfaction, and becoming financially productive and profitable. It also found that when employees perceive positive listening behaviours in their supervisors, they experience an increase in their motivation, trust, and work production.
The authors suggest that “listening is an important step in building the communication climate of a productive company" and that “leaders should consider investing resources to build strong listening behaviors among employees”.
Active listening can increase managers’ sense of well-being at work
Jonsdottir, I. & Fridriksdottir, K. (2019). Active Listening: Is it the Forgotten Dimension in Managerial Communication?. International Journal of Listening, 0, 1-11.
The authors of this qualitative study discuss how the power of active listening is “significantly underestimated in the context of management”.
The study posits a potential connection between better listening and competence as a speaker and that organizational support is key to enhancing managers’ listening skills and becoming better overall communicators.
What does it mean to be an ‘organization that listens’?
Burnside-Lawry, J. (2012). Listening and Participatory Communication: A Model to Assess Organization Listening Competency. International Journal of Listening, 26, 102-121.
The article offers a definition of an Effective Listening Organization as “an organization that incorporated values and actions to listen accurately that enhanced the relationship between an organization and its stakeholders" where accurate listening is defined as “the perception that the organization has accurately received and understood the message sent, and in a supportive manner”.
The article includes a list of “Qualities of a Competent Listening Organization” as well as a supplementary questionnaire for organizations to assess their organizational listening competency.
Albeit an important organizational variable, listening is perceived as a “soft” skill
Flynn, J., Valikoski, T., & Grau, J. (2008). Listening in the Business Context: Reviewing the State of Research. International Journal of Listening, 22, 141-151.
This review of listening related literature contains great insights such as - "people spend 80% of their waking hours communicating. Of this time, 9% is writing, 16% is reading, 30% is speaking, and 45% is listening."
It discusses the lack of attention to listening in the scholarly business literature, in the business classroom, and in organizations despite its importance.
The article pays special attention to the connection between listening and organizational culture - “in order to have effective listening in an organization, managers must work to create an organizational culture in which listening is considered an important organizational value.".
The connection between listening and career advancement
Welch, S. & Mickelson, W. (2013). A Listening Competence Comparison of Comparison of Working Professionals. International Journal of Listening, 27: 85-99.
The authors set out to examine the listening profiles of employees with varying amounts and levels of work experience in medium- to large-sized organizations.
Their findings suggest that the listening competencies of employees increase in certain areas (critical, comprehensive, and discriminative listening) as they gain more experience in the workplace and acquire managerial practices and experience, independent of any training that they might receive related to listening.