---
title: "Essential skills for listening"
url: https://www.simonwakeman.com/blog/2007/02/09/essential-skills-for-listening/
description: "Consultant and fractional COO for scale-up businesses. I help founders, leaders and investors in scaling businesses create sustainably high performing organisations."
published: 2007-02-09T07:20:56+00:00
modified: 2026-04-11T16:25:22+00:00
author: Simon Wakeman
---
# Essential skills for listening

## Essential skills for listening

Be able to listen, and actively show you’re listening, is a really valuable skill in business.  
It can help you develop relationships more effectively with colleagues, managers, clients and suppliers.  
Leo Bottary has a [great post](http://blogs.hillandknowlton.com/blogs/leobottary/archive/2007/02/07/7127.aspx) with some practical tips for developing these skills and eliminating bad listening habits.  
Listening skills is one area where I know I can develop better skills, so I will certainly be trying a few of the things that Leo talks about.