Why Listening Drives Institutional Trust

Maybe it’s easy for me to say, as a flaming (🔥) introvert, but what is the most underrated leadership skill? Listening. In a world that often rewards the loudest voice in the room, it's easy to forget that real influence doesn’t always come from speaking—it comes from truly hearing others. When leaders listen deeply, they signal respect. They create space for others to feel seen, valued, and safe. And in that space, trust takes root. Listening helps leaders: ▪️ Uncover perspectives they might otherwise miss ▪️ Make more informed decisions ▪️ Strengthen relationships ▪️ Build cultures of inclusion and engagement (Which matters in 2025 more than ever!) Anyone can speak. But to listen with intent—without interrupting, problem-solving, or waiting for your turn to talk—that takes humility and discipline. And the paradox? The more a leader listens, the more their words carry weight when they do speak. TLDR? In leadership, silence isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲. We once had to shut down four city blocks in downtown Phoenix for a private Macklemore concert. On the surface, it sounds like logistics. In reality, it was about trust. It took a month meeting with city departments, knocking on doors, and listening to city employees who mostly wanted to help the public, get a paycheck and benefits, plus not lose their job. Each had their own concerns: safety, traffic, liability or what would their boss do to them. Instead of pushing my agenda, I focused on their pain points and showed that I understood what mattered to them.  After the month of planning, we started at 2:15 the morning of the concert, to set up - they would not let us close the roads, then I convinced them it was okay, after the bars closed. That’s how you move big, complicated projects forward. Not with pressure. Not with shortcuts, instead - by giving people confidence that you see them, hear them, and will protect their interests (if nothing else, that they won’t get fired, their kids will be okay and life will be good). The principle is simple. 𝐈𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬. 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. Whether you’re closing a deal, running a campaign, or trying to get four blocks of a city to shut down, the foundation is the same: trust built through listening. What’s one way you’ve built trust in a tough negotiation? #Trust #Negotiation #DealMaking #TILTTheRoom #MediaLaw #Macklemore Christopher Voss Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A. Alexandra Carter Dr. Robert Cialdini Scott Tillema

🏢 Architects: Listening is free, ignoring your team is expensive. Let’s talk about a leadership skill that gets far less attention than it deserves: listening. Not the kind where you nod through a meeting while mentally reviewing your to-do list. Not the kind where you ask for “feedback” but already have your decision made. And definitely not the kind where you send out a survey and do… absolutely nothing with the results. I mean the kind of listening that builds trust, strengthens culture, and keeps your best people from walking out the door. Many architecture firms say they value communication. But what they really mean is they value people doing what they’re told without asking questions. And when team members start to disengage, it’s easy to assume they’re checked out or unmotivated. More often, they’re exhausted from trying to be heard in an environment that doesn’t listen. Every time someone shares an idea and gets dismissed… Every time someone voices a concern and nothing happens… Every time someone speaks up and gets labeled “difficult”… 💥 Trust breaks a little more. 💥 Culture slips a little further. 💥 Your most thoughtful employees quietly start planning their exit. Listening is a muscle. And in too many firms, it’s badly out of shape. Here’s what practicing it looks like: ✅ Making space for candid conversations—and staying curious, not defensive ✅ Following through with real action, not lip service ✅ Asking questions without rushing to answer ✅ Reading between the lines for what’s not being said Because when your people don’t feel heard, they stop offering their best thinking. And when that happens, creativity suffers, culture erodes, and innovation stalls. The cost of not listening? It’s not just emotional, it’s operational. What’s one habit you’ve built (or want to build) to make listening part of your firm’s culture? _____________________ Hi, 👋🏻 I'm Evelyn Lee, FAIA | NOMA I've been on the client side for over a decade and have spent the last five years in tech, helping create exceptional employee experiences while growing the business. Now, I help architects: ⇒ Think Differently ⇒ Redefine Processes ⇒ Create Opportunities

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 & 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀  🎧💡 In a world where everyone is eager to speak, few take the time to truly listen. Listening is not about agreeing; it’s about understanding. A while back, during a strategy meeting across one of our business ventures, different teams had conflicting ideas, each convinced their solution was the best. Instead of jumping in with a decision, I chose to listen - really listen. I asked more questions, encouraged every viewpoint, and let the conversation unfold. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁? A breakthrough idea emerged, combining the strengths of all perspectives. Had I spoken first, we might have missed it. When people feel unheard, they become defensive. When they feel understood, they become open to discussion. This is true in leadership, business, and even everyday conversations. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ✅ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 & 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 When leaders genuinely listen, employees and colleagues feel valued and respected. This fosters trust and strengthens relationships. ✅ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 Great ideas don’t come from one person alone. By listening to your team, you gain diverse perspectives, leading to better solutions and strategies. ✅ 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 When employees feel heard, they are more willing to share ideas and take initiative, driving innovation in the workplace. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 Listening allows leaders to understand different viewpoints, helping them mediate disputes with empathy and clarity. ✅ 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲 & 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱—they want to be heard and understood. A leader who listens creates a culture where employees feel motivated and engaged. This video perfectly illustrates how active listening can change the way we connect with others. Instead of reacting, dismissing, or arguing, we should: ✔️𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻—Not to reply, but to understand. ✔️ 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀—Validation doesn’t mean agreement, it means respect. ✔️𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆—When people feel heard, they are more open to dialogue. ✔️𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – Encourage deeper conversations and better insights by being curious. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 Speaking less doesn’t mean being silent—it means choosing your words wisely while ensuring every voice is heard. 💬 Have you ever changed someone’s mind simply by listening? #Leadership #ActiveListening #Empathy #TrustBuilding #CommunicationMatters #ActiveListening #BusinessGrowth #TeamSuccess

9 out of 10 lessons that shaped my business came from one thing: keeping my ears open. Over the years, I’ve realized something that seems simple, but most leaders overlook. When you take the time to really listen to your crew, your customers, even your mentors you uncover insights that no classroom can give you. My team on the ground sees things I don’t. They deal with the daily challenges, the tools, the clients, and the unexpected problems that never make it into a report. If I only talked and never listened, I’d miss the small details that make the biggest difference in how we work and how we serve. It’s the same with customers. When you pause and let them explain what they’re feeling what’s frustrating them or what they value most you build trust that lasts far longer than a single job. Listening tells people you respect them, and that respect always comes back around. It creates stronger relationships, better solutions, and a culture where people know their voice matters. That’s how you build loyalty, not just compliance.

I once facilitated a leadership offsite where the CEO thought he had all the answers. He was convinced that topdown directives would solve the company's cultural issues. But the employees thought otherwise. The real turning point came not from the CEO's plans but from simply listening to the team. Here’s why listening is so crucial when building a strong, effective organization: 1️⃣ Empowerment: When employees feel heard, they feel valued. 2️⃣ Innovation: The best ideas often come from the ground up. 3️⃣ Trust: Listening builds mutual respect and trust. 4️⃣Engagement: Engaged employees are more productive and committed. 5️⃣Alignment: Understanding different perspectives helps align goals. → Practical steps to start listening: 🎯 Employee Surveys: Use tools like Culture Amp to gauge sentiments. 🎯 Regular Checkins: One-on-ones and team meetings are gold mines. 🎯 Open Forums: Create safe spaces for open dialogue. 🎯 Feedback Loops: Ensure feedback leads to action. 🎯 Anonymous Channels: Sometimes anonymity brings out the truth. In a recent project, we implemented these steps. The result? A dramatic increase in employee engagement and innovation. The CEO who once doubted the power of listening is now its biggest advocate. If you want to build a culture that thrives, start by lending an ear. What’s one way you’ve successfully listened to your team? Share your experience below.

The #1 Leadership Skill That Most Leaders Get Wrong I bet you've heard this before → it's active listening. But what does it really mean? After many years in leadership roles, I've noticed this: People enjoy working with me when they see that I genuinely focus, listen, and seek to understand the conversation—not just respond immediately. Harvard Business Review defines active listening as a skill that turns conversations into “non-competitive, two-way interactions”—where you tune into both someone’s words and emotions. Why does this matter? • Great listeners are seen as more trustworthy and empathetic (HBR) • 79% of employees who trust their employer are more motivated to work (Deloitte) • 70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager (Gallup) • Yet only 56% of employees feel their senior leaders listen. (TrainingMag) Why is this happening? Most of us think we're listening, but we're just waiting for our turn to talk. With so many tasks demanding attention, it's easy to have little patience for conversations. However, I've found the opposite approach brings better results: Active listening builds trust. In a work culture, prioritizing trust over hierarchy makes people feel confident sharing ideas and concerns with leadership, as HBR notes. More trust = more information for leadership to make smarter decisions → a stronger company. For me, these 7 tips have been invaluable for becoming an active listener: 1. Be fully present – Treat each conversation as an experience requiring full attention, not something you do while multitasking. 2. Practice empathy – Understand what the speaker is feeling and verbalize it. 3. Resist the urge to interrupt – Don't divert the conversation into your own stories. 4. Paraphrase and summarize – Say, "What I'm hearing is..." instead of sharing your opinion right away. 5. Ask questions that benefit the speaker – Prioritize understanding their message over your curiosity. 6. Help them find their own solution – Guide the speaker to create solutions rather than impose yours. 7. Ask open-ended questions – "What else should I know?" helps them elaborate and deepens understanding. Trust the process: When teams feel truly heard, they commit with more passion. They bring fresh ideas. They work with us, not just for us. At AVID Products, this philosophy has helped us navigate challenges as a leading EdTech company and build a work culture where people want to stay and contribute for 10, 15, and even more years. When applying these principles, remember—only listen when you have time. Don’t do it halfway. Be upfront about how much time you can give, and offer full attention, listening, and empathy.

I’ll never forget the time a client came to us with a crystal-clear vision. They told me exactly what they wanted. But as I listened, I realized their request wasn’t actually what they wanted - it was what they thought they should do. I gently offered a different perspective. They didn’t like it. In fact, they walked away. Weeks later, the phone rang. They’d been thinking about our conversation. Something about it had unsettled them - in a good way. That moment turned into a two-year project that exceeded their wildest dreams. In the end, they admitted their original plan would have been a disaster. That experience reminded me: listening isn’t just polite. It’s powerful. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do as leaders is hear what isn’t being said - the fear behind the design idea, the uncertainty under a bold vision. I’ll be honest: creating space for listening has stretched me. The silence after you ask, “What could we be doing better?” can feel endless. And my instinct is often to explain or defend. What I’ve had to learn is that listening well means staying curious, even when it’s uncomfortable. And when people see you’re willing to act on what you hear, trust deepens in ways that no strategy document can deliver. At Barbour Spangle, we’ve built some simple rhythms thanks to EOS that help us practice this: 1️⃣ Same Page meetings: weekly touchpoints that help us identify misalignment early and keep us connected. 2️⃣ Quarterly conversations: dedicated time for reflection that prioritizes curiosity over reporting. The bottom line for me? Feedback isn’t a threat. It’s a gift. I wrote more about this in a new blog - including how listening shaped our culture, our client work, and even our community through High Point Discovered. 👉 Read the full blog linked in the comments below! What about you — have you ever had a moment when listening changed the outcome in ways you didn’t expect?

When tension spikes, control feels safe—but it usually shuts people down. Real leadership is nervous system → then conversation. –Presence over proving. –Listening over fixing. (Yes, even when you’re right 😉) Quick data check: Emotional Intelligence: A McKinsey study (2022) emphasized that emotionally intelligent leaders—those capable of self-regulation, empathy, and mindful presence—are significantly more effective, increasing team engagement and productivity by up to 50%. Translation: when we’re rushed or dysregulated, we miss things people are trying to say. People only hear parts of the dialogue and your brain is programmed to choose the negative part and workplace conflict and misunderstanding increases. When we develop our executive presence, we navigate conflict with intentional skills. Micro-Shift Playbook: 1. Downshift your body (10 seconds). Long exhale, shoulder drop, soften jaw. Your nervous system is the volume knob for your voice. 2. Lead with listening. “Here’s what I heard… did I get it right?” (Reflect, then ask one clean question.) Research keeps showing that teams where people can safely speak up perform better—because listening unlocks learning and better outcomes. 3. Name the shared aim. “Our goal is safe care + a sane shift. What’s the smallest next step?” Trade control for clarity. As Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” Use plain words and confirm agreements. (Brené Brown) Say-this-instead scripts (steal these): “I want to understand before I solve. Tell me more.” “Let me slow down and replay what I heard…” “What feels most urgent to you right now?” “I can feel my stress climbing—give me 10 seconds to reset so I can listen well.” Why it works: calm bodies create calm rooms. Active listening isn’t soft—it’s a clinical skill that reduces errors, improves teamwork, and builds trust under pressure. (NCBI) Try it today: before your next tense exchange, do the 10-second downshift, mirror back one sentence, ask one question, and agree on one next step. That’s nervous system–friendly leadership in action. PS: If this resonates, comment “LISTEN” and I’ll share my one-page Deep Listening Under Pressure cheat sheet.

Leadership Begins with Listening How often do we, as leaders, stop talking long enough to truly hear what our teams are saying? The answer might reveal more about our leadership style than we think. Years ago, during a particularly stressful project, a team member pulled me aside and said, "Chris, I feel like we're raising concerns, but no one's listening." It stung, but they were right - I was so focused on delivering results that I had unintentionally tuned out the very people doing the work. That conversation was a turning point. I made it my mission to actively listen, not just hear. I started hosting informal one-on-ones where team members could speak freely. In one of those chats, someone pointed out a small procedural tweak that ended up saving us hours of downtime. Listening didn’t just improve morale - it improved outcomes. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers... it’s about creating space for others to be heard. Listening builds trust, and trust fosters collaboration. When people know their voices matter, they bring their best ideas and their full selves to the table. Listening also requires intentionality - putting down the phone, making eye contact, and asking questions that show you genuinely care. It's not always easy, but the dividends it pays in trust, innovation, and team engagement are well worth it. "Leadership starts with your ears, not your mouth - because the best ideas don’t always come from the loudest voice in the room." What’s one lesson you’ve learned from truly listening to your team? Or, what’s a challenge you’ve faced in making listening a leadership priority? I’d love to hear your experiences - let’s keep the conversation going! Wishing you a focused, collaborative, and uplifting Monday! Let’s take the time to truly listen this week. Chris Clevenger #Leadership #TeamBuilding #ActiveListening #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment