The Pursuit of Excellence: The Uncommon Behaviors of the World's Most Productive Achievers

by Ryan Hawk

I reached out to a friend of mine who makes his living through improv comedy, both by performing it and teaching others how to do it. I gave him free rein to employ whatever activities he wanted with one caveat: the focus had to be on helping attendees become better communicators. What did we spend the bulk of our time doing? Listening exercises. Why? In a study of over 8,000 people employed in businesses, hospitals, universities, the military, and government agencies, researchers found that virtually all the respondents believe that they communicate as effectively or more effectively than their coworkers. However, research shows that the average person listens at only about 25 percent of efficiency. While most people agree that listening effectively is an important skill, they don’t feel a strong need to improve their own skill level.