How Important Is It to Listen?

Have you ever had a conversation with someone that you can tell is not actually listening to anything you say, but is just busy thinking about what they are going to say next? Or how they can turn it around to be about them? Or maybe they just really do not want to hear what you are saying.  I think most people have come across a person like this more often then they would like.  I know I have and sometimes realize that there is no point in even continuing to have the conversation.  I have people like this in my personal life and have learned to just not talk to them about anything that really matters to me, since it will just be either ignored or turned around to be about something different.  

Business wise though, this can be a real problem. I used to work with someone that constantly claimed they did not know something, even though I know I personally told her multiple times. She used this as an excuse not to be responsible for things she was supposed to be doing, but wasn't.  It got to the point that I needed to write everything down, and/or remind her constantly.  But there was always something I was not yet aware that she wasn’t doing yet, so it ended up biting me in the butt to have continued to work with her despite the fact that she did not listen.  

Sometimes it is an owner that doesn't listen and that can cause problems in expectations and of course in communication.  Sometimes a tenant acts like they are listening and understanding, and yet they will do exactly the opposite of what was asked of them, then they claim they were never told. I have certain tenants that I will only communicate with in writing.  One of these would continuously claim I said things that I would never say. That tenant claimed I told her that she could make any improvement that she wanted and just deduct it from the rent. I would never say that, and never have.  This led to a couple of disagreements with her, before deciding to put everything in writing. I have had to resend and copy and paste quite a few conversations with her since then, as she had continued to claim I said things I had not. It is so much easier to just copy, paste and resend, than it is to argue.  

Wouldn't it be wonderful everyone just actually listened?