TheoreticalAccording to listening expert and researcher Dr. Ralph Nichols "The most fundamental of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them." as Nichols points out, it is a necessary and integral aspect of the communication process and is one of the most important skills one can acquire. Although it is of fundamental importance in everyday and professional affairs, the specific ability to listen effectively is unfortunately missing in most people. Listening effectively has a significant impact on all relationships, whether professional, personal or social. The prevailing problem with effective listening however is two-fold, in not truly understanding the meaning of listening and in not possessing the tools needed to be an effective listener. listening according to Dr. Robert Bolton (1979) goes beyond simply hearing sound as a physiological sensory process, but instead requires and involves the interpretation and understanding of the sensory experience or what is heard (p 32). It is also an active experience in which the listener is fully engaged and has absorbed the speaker's information by showing interest and providing feedback, all while demonstrating that they have heard and understood the message. It is fair to say that most people in various relationships and environments listen in what is considered a passive capacity or simply digesting and processing fragments of the speaker's message. This type of listening lends itself to frequent miscommunication, mixed messages, and general misunderstandings. Effective listening, on the other hand, provides concise communication, decreases interpersonal conflicts and errors, and also… middle of paper… individuals who truly listen and recognize those ideas and message. In today's workforce, perfecting the skill of effective listening is a skill and technique that can lead to growth and success when applied correctly. Finally, as Nichols carefully explained, "listening is hard work" (1961) and I believe it is a skill that must be developed and honed proactively over time, requiring concerted and focused effort (Nichols, p. 124) . Works Cited Bolton, R. (1979). Personal skills: How to assert yourself, listen to others, and resolve conflicts (pp. 1-113). Englewood, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Hamilton, C. (2011). Communicating for results: A guide for business and the professions (9th ed., pp. 123-130). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.Nichols, R.G. (1961, March). Do we know how to listen? Practical aids in the modern age. The speech teacher, 10(2), 118-124.