What is listening? To start, speaking is insufficient
to say what listening is. As soon as we breathe a word about
listening, we’ve reduced its fullness; we’ve defined and limited a
human phenomenon that is misunderstood, under-appreciated,
and highly involved.

We tend to observe listening as the opposite of speaking. In other
words, if you are not speaking then you must be listening. Those who think this way engage in a fatal error.

Listening is a commitment first, then capacity, and then skill. If this
seems new and unfamiliar, consider if at some point you’ve
reduced listening to something much less than its full potential – anyone is capable of making the mistake.

Read more – Commitment of Listening by Tony Zampella.