We spend up to 80 per cent of our conscious hours using four basic communication skills:
- Writing
- Reading
- Speaking
- Listening
Listening accounts for more than 50 per cent of that time, so we're actually spending 40 per cent of our conscious time just listening. We tend to give little attention to the listening part of the communication process, which is amazing considering the facts stated here.
On average, people retain only 25 per cent of what they hear. There are many reasons why this is the case:
- We perceive listening as a passive activity and find the prolonged concentration required impossible to maintain
- The average person speaks at about 130 words per minute, whereas our thinking speed is about 500 words p...
