LISTENING is much more than HEARING!...

If we don't have something constructive to say, than we should be silent.

We should always remember that we have two ears, two eyes...but only one mouth!... these are the most effective "devices" we have for our communication.

After many years of coaching practice, the development of my listening skills, has helped me to better understand what someone is saying to me.

Stephen Covey said : "Listen with the intent to understand, not the intent to reply." 

The REAL or ACTIVE listening process has three sequential steps:

1-Hearing.
2-Understanding
3-Judging

The concept of "two ears and one mouth" applied to the value of listening, comes from some ancient Greek philosophers like Epictetus(c. 55 – 135 AD) and to Zeno of Citium (c. 334 – c. 262 BC):