Leadership and Listening Styles: The Art of Active Listening

In honor of World Listening Day on July 18th, let’s look at how listening can be a superpower for leaders. Take Satya Nadella, who took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014. When Nadella stepped into the role, he didn’t come in with a loudspeaker. Instead, he came in with ears wide open. In fact, he went on what was called a “listening tour” across the company. By genuinely engaging with employees, diving deep into conversations, asking probing questions, and digesting the feedback received, he sparked a new chapter of openness and innovation at Microsoft.

Leadership is as much about listening as it is about directing, and this is just one example that demonstrates the huge potential that leaders can unlock by learning the skill of listening.

At The Humphrey Group, we have seen firsthand how powerful effective listening can be. Our learning experiences emphasize the importance of active listening as a cornerstone of impactful leadership. With over three decades of experience in teaching leaders how to communicate with clarity and influence, we know that listening is not just a skill but a transformative tool for leaders at all levels.

Understanding Active Listening

The distinction between hearing and active listening is critical in leadership contexts. Active listening involves a deliberate effort to understand, interpret, and respond. It’s a dynamic interaction, not a passive activity.

In leadership, merely hearing without listening can lead to misunderstandings and a lack of alignment within the team. Active listening brings a deeper level of understanding that can inform more empathetic and effective leadership decisions, enhance problem-solving capabilities, and improve conflict resolution.

Core Principles of Active Listening in Leadership Communication

One thing we often talk about is the way that we are always, even when we may not realize it, communicating. It’s important to be mindful of what message we are delivering with our bodies while we’re listening. Physical listening, a crucial listening style, is about creating a visual connection that reinforces the fact that you are giving your attention to and are interested in what the speaker is saying.

Non-verbal cues are critical for setting the tone. Adopting an open posture, such as uncrossing arms, leaning slightly forward, or maintaining a relaxed stance, signals receptiveness. Consistent eye contact helps maintain a connection and shows respect for the speaker. Nodding at appropriate moments can signify understanding and encouragement.

Imagine you’re in a busy office, and a colleague approaches you with a concern. Instead of listening to them as you continue to work on the side, stop and orient your body towards them, giving your full attention. As you listen, nod to show understanding, maintain eye contact, and occasionally summarize what they say to demonstrate active engagement. This approach shows that you are fully present and committed to understanding their issue, despite the surrounding distractions.

These are simply examples of how to communicate active engagement and set a comfortable atmosphere for a speaker to express themselves. Your physical embodiments may be different and that is okay. The important thing is to check in and make sure you are fully present, and a lot of these physical expressions will naturally follow.

Mental Listening

Most of us have been in a conversation with someone who is clearly only focused on their response. As a speaker, that’s a frustrating experience. As a leader, it’s important to remain open-minded and ensure that you are not forming judgments before someone has finished expressing their thoughts.

Mental listening is about making the effort to truly understand and process what is being communicated. This requires a leader to actively engage with the speaker’s thoughts by asking clarifying questions and paraphrasing what they heard to ensure that the message has been properly received.

Next time a colleague is presenting a new idea in a meeting. Instead of mentally preparing your response, focus on truly understanding their perspective. Ask them clarifying questions like “Can you explain how this approach will work in our current process?”. This shows that you value their input and are willing to consider it fully.

Emotional Listening

Out of the three types, emotional listening is probably the most challenging. In so many of our lessons we talk about how empathy is a cornerstone of leadership, and emotional listening is a perfect example of this.

Picture a situation where your manager comes to you, their volume is high, they're agitated, and complaining about a deadline. Emotional listening might mean stepping back from the intellectual point they're making and saying, "I can see you're really stressed about this deadline. It sounds like there’s a lot on your plate right now, how are you holding up? "

Emotional listening is about developing an awareness of the underlying message. It requires understanding the emotions behind the words being said and learning to detect subtle cues from tone of voice, facial expression, and even changes in energy levels. If this feels a bit out of your wheelhouse, don’t worry. It doesn’t require a detective-level skillset.

One way to tap into this is to simply think about what you may be feeling if you were in the speaker’s shoes and acknowledge how they must be feeling. You can also ask a gentle, probing question to help clarify their feelings or deepen the conversation. This approach not only shows that you are listening, but that you care about their emotional experience as well.

Another example could be when a team member appears disengaged and less communicative than usual. Instead of assuming they're not interested, you might approach them with, "I've noticed you've been quieter lately. Is there something on your mind that you'd like to talk about?" This shows that you're attuned to their emotional state and care about their well-being.

An Improved Listening Style for Better Leadership Outcomes

Each aspect of active listening — from the physical cues that show we are engaged, to the mental strategies that help us truly understand, to the emotional responses that build deeper connections — plays a crucial role in effective leadership.

Leaders can model this skill and demonstrate that true leadership begins with the ability to listen deeply and respond thoughtfully. And by mastering these skills, leaders can transform their interactions, leading to more aligned, empathetic, and productive teams.

Hungry for more? Contact us to learn about our Leadership Training experiences!