Great Leaders Listen Without Saying Anything
In my new book, Mere Leadership, one of the leadership attributes discussed is being an aware communicator. This past week a friend of mine affirmed how important listening is. He really did not want me to directly quote him when I blogged about it but I told him I was because his comment put the exclamation point on how important listening is. He was speaking about learning leadership; the leadership he learned while he was an army officer, from the great example set by General Raymond Odierno. The bottom line was, General Odierno listened.
In my discussion of being an aware communicator in Mere Leadership, I emphasized the power of active listening as a cornerstone of effective communication. This aligns perfectly with the remark my friend made about General Odierno’s leadership: “He listened without saying one fucking thing!” I loved this comment even though it had a little foul language in it. He said it with such emphasis and conviction. He even said it so loud that everyone in the hotel lobby bar turned and looked. But he was so serious about the power of listening to understand that I must leave his statement here in my post just as he said it.
This was a testament to the transformative strength of truly attentive listening. What I call listening to understand. General Odierno’s approach exemplifies how unwavering presence and openness can foster trust, understanding, and respect within a team, illustrating that sometimes, silence and attentive ear are far more impactful than words.
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