Zeno’s advice to listen more than speak still matters

The Story in Brief

The Times of India reports that Zeno of Citium, the ancient Greek philosopher who founded Stoicism around 300 BC, advised listening more than speaking. The quote, 'We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say,' is recorded in Diogenes Laërtius's third-century AD work 'Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers'. Zeno made the remark to a talkative young man who wanted to speak in public assemblies without first understanding his subject.

The article notes that modern research supports Zeno's idea. A study in The American Journal of Medicine found physicians interrupt patients within 11 to 18 seconds, while allowing two minutes of uninterrupted listening improves diagnostic accuracy. Active listening also reduces mistakes and builds trust in workplaces, according to Harvard Business Review research.