Effective communication is one of the most essential requirements for success of any organization. If the communication is not proper, there can be a situation where much of the true message is lost and totally different version is heard at the other end. Social psychologists estimate that normally 40 to 60% of loss of meaning takes place in the transmission of messages from sender to the receiver. Good listening plays an important role in effective communication. This article emphasizes on effective listening as a vital component, and barriers to effective listening like environmental distractions, psychological variations, peripheral listening etc., are also discussed. It also covers Carl Roger's `client centred' therapy covering Listening orientation and Reflective technique. Only effective verbal communication and emphatic listening foster these relations.

Interpersonal situations consume more than three-fourth's of the time of people in organizations; this simply implies that the root cause of many of the organizational problems is, poor communication. Effective communication is an essential requirement for organizational success at practically, every level. No doubt, all of us have been communicating with others, ever since we landed on this planet, but the actual process of transmitting information from one to another is getting more complex by each passing day, ironically despite the advent of communication systems. The reason is, easier the communication, cavalier is our attitude towards sources of error. In no communication process, the intended message reaches the receiver in its totality. Social psychologists estimate that normally 40 to 60% of loss of meaning takes place in the transmission of messages from sender to receiver. There can be situations where most of the true message is lost and a totally different version is heard at the other end, this being very common in a cross cultural scenario, though people of same culture are no exception to this. Consider a case where an employee might say that he won't make it to work the following day because of sickness, of which he was rather fed up, probably expecting some sympathy from coworkers and the boss. Now this could be heard as, indifference, lack of consideration and may be, many other such emotions. Good communication by no means is a simple process, and it is critical to understand this and make a conscientious endeavor to counter the potential sources of error so that, true and intended meaning reaches the receiver.