--- title: "Leadership Rule #6: Be a Good Listener | SPMS Insights" description: "Paul Smith explains why effective leaders listen intentionally, seek to understand, and create an environment where people closest to the work share valuable ideas." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "ProfessionalService", "name": "Smith Project Management Services, LLC", "description": "Independent advisory led by Paul Smith, advising leadership on complex project recovery, risk identification, organizational effectiveness, and contract and project execution oversight.", "url": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com", "telephone": "+1-941-812-7035", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressRegion": "FL", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": "United States", "priceRange": "$$$$", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Smith", "jobTitle": "Founder & Principal Consultant" }, "knowsAbout": [ "Project Recovery", "Independent Project Oversight", "Risk Identification", "Organizational Effectiveness", "Contract and Scope Oversight", "Nuclear Decommissioning Oversight", "Construction Project Leadership" ], "hasCredential": [ { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "Professional Certification", "name": "Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)" }, { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "Professional Certification", "name": "Safety Trained Supervisor-Construction (STS-C)" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Leadership Rule #6: Be a Good Listener", "description": "Paul Smith explains why effective leaders listen intentionally, seek to understand, and create an environment where people closest to the work share valuable ideas.", "articleSection": "Insights & Perspectives", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Smith" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Smith Project Management Services, LLC" }, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights/leadership-rule-6-be-a-good-listener", "url": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights/leadership-rule-6-be-a-good-listener" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Insights", "item": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leadership Rule #6: Be a Good Listener", "item": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights/leadership-rule-6-be-a-good-listener" } ] } ] --- [![Smith Project Management Services, LLC](/assets/spms-logo-Cm2mE7fh.png)](/) [About](/#about)[Services](/#services)[Experience](/#experience)[Credentials](/#credentials)[Insights](/insights)[Contact](/#contact)[Get In Touch](/#contact) [Home](/)[Insights](/insights)Article No. 022 ![Smith Project Management Services, LLC](/assets/spms-logo-Cm2mE7fh.png) Smith Project Management Services, LLC Insights & Perspectives Series • Article No. 022 Leadership Rule #6: Be a Good Listener [Back to Insights](/insights) # Leadership Rule #6: Be a Good Listener One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is believing they have to have all the answers. You don’t. What you do need is the ability to listen….Genuinely “listen” – not just “hear”. Hearing is automatic. Listening is intentional. Hearing is simply receiving someone’s words. Listening is making the conscious choice to understand them. Some of the best ideas I’ve ever implemented didn’t originate in a conference room or an executive meeting. They came from the people closest to the work—the craft professionals, operators, inspectors, administrative staff, and frontline supervisors. Those closest to the work usually understand the problems better than anyone else. More often than not, they already have practical ideas for improving safety, efficiency, quality, or productivity. The challenge isn’t finding good ideas. It’s creating an environment where people are willing to share them. Unfortunately, many employees eventually stop speaking up because they don’t believe anyone is listening. ## Listening Is a Leadership Skill Good leaders ask questions. Great leaders listen to the answers. Real listening isn’t simply waiting for your turn to speak. It’s making a genuine effort to understand another person’s perspective before offering your own. It requires curiosity, humility, and the discipline to resist solving the problem before you’ve fully heard it. ## The Cost of Not Listening I’ve avoided more than a few costly mistakes simply because I took the time to genuinely hear someone out. On complex projects, a five-minute conversation with the right person can prevent weeks of rework, thousands of dollars in unnecessary costs, or even a serious safety incident. ## Seek First to Understand Stephen Covey wrote, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." That principle has served me well throughout my career. People are far more likely to accept your guidance after they believe you’ve honestly listened to theirs. ## Practical Application At your next meeting or job walk, ask more questions than you answer. When someone brings you a concern or an idea, resist the urge to immediately explain, defend, or solve it. Listen. Eliminate distractions. Use open body language. Uncross your arms. Look them in the eye. Ask a follow-up question. Make sure you fully understand what they’re telling you before you respond. - You may be surprised by what you learn. ## Final Thoughts - • Leadership isn’t measured by how much you talk. It’s measured by how much you learn from the people around you. - • Hearing acknowledges that someone spoke. Listening acknowledges that someone matters Leadership Rule #6: Be a Good Listener. [Back to Insights](/insights) [Previous Article Rule #5: Leave Your Ego At The Door ](/insights/rule-5-leave-your-ego-at-the-door)[Next Article Leadership Rule #7: Be Receptive To New Ideas ](/insights/leadership-rule-7-be-receptive-to-new-ideas) ## Related Consulting Capabilities Explore consulting capabilities related to the project and organizational issues discussed in this article. [Leadership Assessment ](/#services)[Project Oversight ](/#services)[Project Recovery ](/#services)[Safety Program Development ](/#services)[Schedule Analysis & Review ](/#services)[Contract & Scope Development ](/#services) For more insights from Paul Smith, connect with him on LinkedIn. [Connect on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-smith-chst-sts-c-1514b414) ## Need experienced guidance for a complex project? SPMS helps organizations strengthen oversight, safety, leadership, and project performance. 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