Are you listening ? 👂🏼 · Lead with Heart ♥️

Are you listening ? 👂🏼

Have you ever reflected on how much you’re actually listening?

Active listening matters: builds trust, reduces miscommunication, and makes teamwork smoother. When we truly listen, we honour others’ views and pick up on needs, emotions, and priorities that guide better decisions.

Sometimes it can be so easy to talk TOO much! To fill awkward silences with chatter. But as HEART driven leaders we have to be consciously aware of our own actions! Are you ACTUALLY listening ?

Sometimes we interrupt people, sometimes we rush conversations and sadly sometimes we don’t take TIME to LISTEN 👂🏼😱

How you can practice ‘active listening?’

▪️Create a distraction-free moment and use warm eye contact and open posture.

▪️Suspend judgment and paraphrase to check understanding.

▪️Ask open-ended questions to explore deeper.

Pause before replying, then summarise key points and next steps with clear owners and timelines.

With a bit of practice, listening becomes a natural, calm habit that strengthens relationships and makes collaboration feel easier and more joyful.

Let’s consider more ways to practice active listening

▪️It’s important to pick up on what members of your team are saying

Why it matters? When you really listen for the details, you catch needs, concerns, and ideas that aren’t shouted aloud. This helps you understand the full picture, not just the loudest voice.

▪️Practical approach: Tune in to both content (what they’re saying) and context (why it matters to them). Notice pauses, tone, and emphasis; ask clarifying questions to surface specifics.

▪️Be a friend, not a judge. Why it matters? People share more openly when they feel safe from judgment. Offer a friend-like stance as this will lower your team members defensiveness and invites them to engage in an honest conversation.

▪️Practical approach: As a leader the art is to hold space, what that means is to validate feelings, and separate the person from the problem.

It can be easy to label or quickly criticise, especially if you’re feeling triggered ; focus on understanding first, then on collaborative problem-solving. REFLECT on YOUR emotions, even if that staff member is driving you potty ( HOLD SPACE)

Step back and remember to remove the person from the problem. Take time to bring your emotions under control 🙏🏼

▪️How these combine in practice

It’s important that as a HeART led leader you take time to listen for details without leaping to conclusions. Always take time to repeat and reflect back what you hear to confirm accuracy.

Again create that judgment-free zone: respond with curiosity, not critique.

Take TIME to translate what you hear into actionable next steps with clear ownership and timelines. Set those deadlines, so you can reschedule another meeting and see how progress is being made.

Let’s reflect on the quote below

“When I talk to managers I get the feeling that they are important. When I talk to leaders I get the feeling that 1 am important.

Are you a manager or a leader ?

Comment below - commit to making one change. What will you try harder to do ?

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