Member-only story
Leaders need to listen to the silence
To me, good leaders listen to advisers, but great leaders listen to their silence. Because few people speak truth to power, I am a firm believer that what is not said is as important, if not more, than what is being said.
Leaders who are attuned to looking for what is missing, are better able to connect the dots and understand what is happening to and within their organization. This understanding enables leaders to expose gaps between their mindsets and reality, minimizing the risk of a Fundamental Surprise that may disrupt the organization.
I am therefore seldom concerned about what my team tells me, but I am always worried about what they are not telling me. It is this unknown that keeps me up at night.
