Smart Leaders Buy, Weak Leaders Sell [2026w27]

In this episode of Lead Prompt, I break down why the most powerful thing you can do as a leader is simply listen. We are often conditioned to think that leading means constantly talking, steering conversations, and selling our ideas, but true leverage comes when we learn how to "buy" the perspectives of others. I share how to use intentional silence in your one-on-ones to uncover what your team is really thinking, why I get highly suspicious when my tech leads stop pitching to me, and how flipping the script during a high-stakes job interview landed me a VP of Engineering role. If you are constantly trying to have the smartest answer in the room, you are missing out on critical data, so tune in to learn how to stop selling and start buying. Show notes are here: https://leadprompt.sh/a/749-Smart-Leaders-Buy,-Weak-Leaders-Sell-2026w27 Keywords: leadership, tech leadership, engineering management, active listening, tech lead, management tips, VP of engineering, software engineering, leadership development, career advice, interview tips, engineering manager, communication skills, leadprompt, software development