Leaders and other professionals spend more time communicating than anything else. They interact with employees, peers, customers, vendors and many other stakeholders in the success of your organization. The most important communication skill—of reading, writing, listening and speaking—is listening. Why? Because listening is the basis of learning and problem-solving, of building rapport and relationships, and of understanding customer needs. Without using effective listening skills, leaders may waste time solving surface issues instead of true problems and may miss customer cues of dissatisfaction or opportunities for increased sales.