Written By
GCE Editorial Team
Being an active listener is critically important when communicating with others, as it allows you to absorb and process what’s being said, builds empathy and shows the speaker that you value their perspective.
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Approved and verified accurate by the Assistant Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences on Sept. 15, 2025
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
Effective communication skills are valued in society1 as a way to share ideas, bring people together and build community. Listening is one vital communication skill that impacts both speakers and listeners, yet many people struggle to listen attentively to others. According to inspirational speaker Simon Sinek, “Listening is not the act of hearing the words spoken; it is the art of understanding the meaning behind those words.”1
Whether or not you’re earning a communications degree, it can be helpful to understand the importance of listening. Reflect on the answer to the question, Why is listening important? while in conversation and in different contexts, including interpersonal, professional and academic contexts. Then, brush up on your listening skills by diving into some active listening techniques that can support effective communication.
Listening is important for more than just acquiring information from a conversation. It’s also a way to enhance your understanding of the speaker’s intentions. Through active listening, you can pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal communication cues that allow you to read between the lines and get a better sense of the speaker’s position and conversational goals.
Other reasons why listening is critical in communication include the following:2
Active listening can also improve your understanding of what the speaker is truly saying. It can support empathy development, which fosters civil discourse. Listening is also a critical leadership skill; it can improve a person’s productivity, inform the decision-making process and help nurture trust between the speaker and the listener.3
Some examples of the importance of active listening in different settings include:
Active listening is what makes good communication possible. When someone is an active listener, they make an effort to truly hear what the other person is saying. They put aside all distractions and give their full attention to the speaker. This can look like something as simple as putting your phone aside when listening to a friend.2
Other active listening techniques include:
Listening is an important aspect of interpersonal relationships. When someone feels listened to, they feel understood. Their feelings are validated, and they are often able to gain a deeper understanding of who they are.
But how do we listen well? There is a distinct difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a process that involves simply perceiving sound, but listening requires you to absorb and process it.2
Active listening is what makes good communication possible. When someone is an active listener, they make an effort to truly listen what the other person is saying.2 It’s important to remember that being a good listener doesn’t mean you agree with everything the speaker is saying. However, through being an active listener, you will gain their perspective.
The importance of active listening is discussed in the Bible. James 1:19 says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.”
As Christians, we are taught to listen to others before making judgments or assumptions as well as to remain open-minded and acknowledge that we may not know everything, even if we think we do. This also speaks to humility. That is, a person who embraces the humility of Christ will assume that they still have much to learn from other people.
Furthermore, Proverbs 18:2 says, “Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” This emphasizes the importance of putting your views aside in order to fully understand the views of others.
There are also many places in the Bible that talk about the importance of listening to God. After all, He is the creator of the universe. John 10:27-28 says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them from me.”
The Bible further discusses listening in the context of salvation. Luke 11:28 says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.” In other words, you have to actively listen to the Word of God to achieve salvation.
There is great reward for those who faithfully listen to God. He truly knows what is best for us, and when we submit to Him, He will guide our path.
You can work on becoming a better listener. Start by paying attention to how you listen to others. Do you often find yourself checking out when people are talking to you? Or do you wait for an opening to interject and state your opinion?
The key to becoming an active listener is to practice. No one will ever become a perfect listener, but with practice, you are likely to see improvements in your abilities.
If you’re interested in diving further into the art of communication techniques, consider earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree at Grand Canyon University. You’ll explore key competencies in interpersonal and small group communication, as well as intercultural communication and the elements of argumentation and advocacy.
Become an Active Listener
Examine active listening and other communication skills as a communications major at GCU. Apply online today!
