And why it matters to every person on the team.

The squeaky wheel gets oiled, right?

Why do we celebrate the ones who speak up, the ones with a point of view, a bold idea, a way with words? And yes, all of that has value, and we rarely pause to acknowledge the thing that holds most of it together:

Listening.

Not the kind that’s simply waiting for your turn to speak.

I’m referring to listening that slows the moment down. That holds space, invites clarity, and signals something simple and powerful—you matter.

This isn’t only a leadership skill. It’s a core piece of how teams communicate, how trust gets built, and how real conversations move things forward.

Listening Is a Skill—Not a Given

We like to think we’re good listeners, we have two ears and only one mouth after all. Most of us check the box—we make eye contact, nod at the right times, throw in the occasional “yeah, totally.” And real listening is more than that. It’s deliberate. It requires effort. And in fast-movin...