The Leadership Language of Listening: How to Truly Hear Your Team
In the world of leadership, speaking well often gets the spotlight. I don’t deny its importance; it is very important. But listening well? That’s where real influence begins.
Genuine listening is more than hearing words; it’s about making people feel seen, valued, and understood. It’s one of the most powerful (and underused) tools a leader has at their disposal. In fact, leaders who listen well often gain more respect, loyalty, and innovation from their teams than those who simply give great speeches or brilliant strategies.
In a distracted world where everyone is talking, truly listening sets you apart as a leader.
A 2022 McKinsey & Company study found that when employees feel heard, they’re 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to do their best work. People often assume that listening is just a passive activity, but it isn’t; it’s transformational.
People want to know:
That their voice matters
That their perspective is valued
That their leader is engaged
Most of all, that they are valued
When a leader truly listens, they create a space where those around them can grow, share ideas, and take ownership of their work or their potential.
There is a big difference between hearing and listening. Have you ever heard or considered that?
Hearing is passive. It’s the physical ability to register or comprehend sound.
Listening is active. It’s a choice to engage, process, and respond meaningfully. There is much more action in listening than in simply hearing something or someone.
As a leader, you might hear your team’s concerns, but are you really listening? That is what sets apart great leaders from average leaders. Are you picking up on what’s said and maybe conveyed via body language or tone of voice? Are you creating space for real dialogue?
3 Signs You’re Not Really Listening
You interrupt or rush the conversation
This signals that your mind is elsewhere or that you value your input more than theirs.You immediately jump to fixing
Sometimes your team isn’t looking for a solution; they want to feel understood first. Think of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he wrote an entire chapter called “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”You’re thinking about your reply instead of their message
When you focus on what you’ll say next, you miss what they’re truly communicating. If your mind is on your response, you aren’t listening, you’re focused on your own opinion or thoughts.
5 Ways to Become a Better Listener
1. Be Fully Present
Put the phone away. Close your laptop. Make eye contact. Your undivided attention communicates that the person in front of you matters more than anything else right now. I remember how frustrating it was going into an office to meet with someone, and they were still typing emails while I was trying to explain something. As a leader, be present.
2. Ask Clarifying Questions
Instead of assuming, ask questions like:
“Can you say more about that?”, “What would help you feel supported?”, “What do you need to achieve the results you’re after?”, “What resources do you need?” and other questions like this. Allow the person to share their thoughts!
3. Listen for Emotion, Not Just Facts
Pay attention to tone, body language, and what’s not being said. Often the real message lies beneath the words. The words being used, multiple studies say only account for around 7% of the total communication.
4. Resist the Urge to Solve Immediately
Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply say, “That sounds really challenging. I’m here for you.” Trust me, I get it. I’m a fixer. I want to fix things when people bring them up. This one is a challenge for me but sometimes a fix isn’t what is needed in the moment.
5. Follow Up
Circle back in a day or two. Say, “I’ve been thinking about what you shared...”
This reinforces that you weren’t just passively listening; you cared enough to follow up on it.
When leaders model good listening, it becomes part of the team’s culture. People start to listen to each other more attentively. They become more empathetic, more connected, and more solution-focused. People ultimately follow the leader’s example.
Listening is a relational multiplier. It makes everything else in leadership more effective.
Great leaders speak with clarity, but they listen with humility. If you want to lead a stronger, more engaged, more inspired team, start by mastering the leadership language of listening.
Want to sharpen your leadership communication skills? Discover how we can help you grow in this area. Dyson Leadership offers 1:1 training, team training, and more! Visit: dysonleadership.com for more information.
