The Two-Word Question That Makes Leaders Better Listeners

Most leaders assume they are good listeners because they can hear. Listening asks much more of us. In this episode of The Connection Experiment, Nathalie sits down with Kelly Wood, Coach Academy faculty member, to challenge what we think we know about listening. These two passionate “coach nerds” explore what it means to stay present, invite silence and resist the urge to relate everything back to our own experience. They talk about the discipline of letting go of what you want to say next—and the discomfort that comes with recognizing how rarely we truly listen. Kelly and Nathalie also share simple experiments you can try immediately to change the conversations you have at work, at home and everywhere in between. If you lead people and have never asked, “What do you already know about this?” before jumping in with advice, this episode may change the lead. FAQ What's the difference between hearing and listening for a leader? Hearing is passive. Listening is a skill leaders have to build on purpose, and most never questioned it before coach training, says Nathalie Blais. Kelly Wood points to the specific habit that gets in the way: relating other people's stories back to your own instead of staying with theirs. What does asking “what else?” do in a leadership conversation? It signals that you want more without adding your opinion. Nathalie Blais says the question can lower tension and push someone past their first, top-of-mind answer, giving leaders a clearer read on what their people actually think and are capable of. Why is silence hard for leaders, and why does it matter? Silence gives someone room to move past a surface answer into real reflection. Nathalie Blais describes a classroom exercise where two people sit in three minutes of silence together. Most leaders find it uncomfortable at first, and it consistently surfaces things rapid-fire conversation never reaches. How does asking questions instead of giving advice affect a team? Leaders who ask “what do you already know about this?” before jumping to advice build trust and surface capability they'd otherwise never see. Kelly Wood and Nathalie Blais tie this directly to trust and psychological safety, which they say research consistently links to team performance and the bottom line. Ready to build listening skills like this into your own leadership? Learn more about Coach Academy's programs at coachacademy.com. Connect with Kelly Wood: linkedin.com/in/kellyswood