We often imagine influence as the ability to speak in a way that captures attention. Yet another way to see it is that influence grows first in the listening. The more fully we listen, the more resonance our words can carry when they follow.
Why Listening Matters for Influence
Deep listening is more than empathy, though that matters. It’s also a way of gathering intelligence — noticing what matters most to others, what remains unspoken, and what patterns are emerging in a group or the wider system.
When leaders listen in this way, their influence tends to expand. Not because they dominate the conversation, but because when they do choose to speak, their words are grounded in relevance and understanding.
Listening on Multiple Levels
Listening can take many forms, and each level offers different insights:
- To individuals — hearing what is said, what is left unsaid and what might be beneath the words.
- To groups — tuning into the collective rhythm of a team or community, the dynamics that shape how people interact.
- To the system — noticing the wider forces, pressures and opportunities that shape the context in which decisions are made.
Leaders who attune themselves across these levels are often able to frame their contributions in ways that land more deeply.
The Discipline of Presence
Listening as a power move requires discipline. It asks us to quiet our own agenda long enough to create genuine space for others.
It’s tempting to listen while preparing a response, or to rush toward our own perspective. But influence that lasts comes from a steadier place, one where others feel heard, not managed.
When people experience that kind of listening, trust builds. Perspectives shift. And your voice, when it comes, is more likely to matter.
Why This Matters Now
In fast-moving environments, the pressure to “get your point across” can override the slower, deeper work of listening. Yet what many leaders find is that their impact increases when they do less talking and more listening. Influence, in this sense, doesn’t begin with convincing. It begins with creating space.
Reflective Questions
- What happens in your conversations when you listen more than you speak?
- Where might deeper listening reveal opportunities for influence you haven’t seen before?
- Whose voice could you make more space for this week?
Our final blog in the September series, The Leadership Currency of Influence, explores how influence creates lasting impact when it’s framed well and shared generously.
Images by Yuri Krupenin, Gabriel Ramos and Charles Deluvio on Unsplash
