Active listening is important for respect, trust, productivity, accuracy, enhancing relationships, and conflict resolution. It leads to learning, confidence, and innovative solutions while reducing negative assumptions. The document outlines ten commandments of listening, which include stopping talking to focus on the speaker, putting the speaker at ease, showing interest, removing distractions, seeing things from the speaker's viewpoint patiently without hurrying them, controlling temper, limiting criticism and argument, asking honest questions, and reiterating the importance of stopping talking to focus on the speaker.