At 92, billionaire investor Warren Buffett is still going strong. His sound investing advice is certainly full of wisdom; his practical life and career tips provide even more value.

Warren Buffett understands that there are limiting behaviors and bad habits that hold us back from achieving our full potential. Buffett said, “I see people with these self-destructive behavior patterns. They really are entrapped by them.”

He advised graduating students at the University of Florida to learn and practice good habits early on in their career: “You can get rid of it a lot easier at your age than at my age, because most behaviors are habitual,” said Buffett.

One self-destructive behavior to get rid of

The digital era is causing a slow degeneration in our ability to communicate and solve problems faster. Specifically, we’re losing the part of communication that doesn’t even require speaking words: active listening.

The inability to demonstrate active listening skills is dangerous and something to get rid of both interpersonally and organizationally.

With technology and social media ruling our lives, we are becoming less opportunistic in developing our active listening skills and less socially aware of its effect on business as a competitive advantage. Truth is, a work environment challenged by poor listening practices is, in Buffett’s words, at risk of self-destructing.

As you develop professional relationships and move up the ranks in your career path, consider these three reasons for putting active listening at the forefront of your personal and professional development.

1. Active listening is the gateway to providing solutions to problems

People driven by their own egos have a hard time detaching from their own inner voices to consider other voices. People you can trust in the workplace, however, are present and in the moment. They don’t need to talk over others to get their point across. The biggest distinction of a good team player or leader is the ability to listen with the intent to remove obstacles from other people’s paths. When people listen intently, they hear peoples’ objections, anxieties, and fears. They also hear solutions to problems.

2. Active listening cuts through conflict

Let’s accept the fact that some conflict is unavoidable where human beings are involved. Rather than being passive-aggressive and conflict-avoidant, people operating in integrity and problem-solving mode courageously run toward the eye of the storm. They are keenly aware that cutting through conflict with active listening skills to understand the other person is a much faster solution to resolving an issue than the negative consequences of running away from conflict.

3. Active listening connects people and builds trust

Active listening at its best is having the ability to listen intuitively to the other person’s story, ask questions, and conduct conversations with their needs in mind. This is a key differentiator of the best colleagues and co-workers — listening to serve. It’s also fast becoming a rare and forgotten skill. Good colleagues and co-workers don’t dominate the conversation by talking only about themselves or the task at hand. They listen to find ways to connect with and help their teammates. Having your colleagues’ best interests in mind builds trust and gives the whole team an edge in getting stuff done when it matters most.