Leaders Who Don't Listen: An Ongoing Organizational Struggle

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Abstract: This article explores the ongoing challenge of non-listening leadership and its detrimental impacts on organizations. Through a review of relevant research literature and practical examples, it highlights how failing to listen undermines relationships, employee engagement, innovation, decision-making, and overall performance—particularly in today's fast-paced business environment that demands open communication. The article examines common barriers to effective listening at the individual, situational, and cultural levels. It then outlines strategic, research-backed approaches that leaders can implement to systematically cultivate a culture of psychological safety where diverse perspectives and dissenting voices feel incorporated and heard. Specific case studies demonstrate the tangible benefits various organizations have realized by prioritizing listening leadership through humility, removing information silos, and establishing inclusive feedback loops.

As experienced leaders, we've all witnessed the damaging effects that can result when leaders fail to listen. However, through my own research and projects over the years, I've come to better understand just how pervasive this issue remains - and why truly listening leadership is so important for any organization that hopes to unlock employee potential, foster innovation, and sustain success over the long run.

Today we will explore the research foundation demonstrating the risks of non-listening leadership, and share practical insights into why listening struggles persist.

Why Listening Leadership Matters

The research is unequivocal - when leaders don't listen, negative consequences inevitably follow. A seminal 1995 study by Harvard Business School professor John Kotter identified "complacency and not listening" as key factors leading to failure among unsuccessful executives (Kotter, 1995). Subsequent studies have validated these findings, consistently linking a lack of listening to lower employee engagement (Anthropic, 2021), reduced innovation (Cooper, 2005), and poorer financial performance (Watkins, 2013).

At the individual level, failures to listen undermine relationships and foster distrust. When leaders ignore input or seem disinterested, employees naturally feel demoralized and less inclined to freely share opinions and ideas. Over time, this can breed an overall culture of silence where risk-taking and creativity are stifled (Schein, 2017). At the organizational level, failing to listen limits situational awareness and decision-making based on incomplete information. As a result, strategies and initiatives are more likely to miss the mark or fail to gain necessary buy-in for successful implementation.

Listening also matters due to our constantly evolving work environments. Today's employees, especially younger generations, increasingly value being heard as part of their employment experience (Deloitte, 2018). In addition, ever-shortening product cycles and more disruptive competition require nimble innovation - making it critical for leaders to understand emerging viewpoints, opportunities, and threats early. Simply put, not listening places any organization at a significant disadvantage in today's fast-paced business climate.

Barriers to Effective Listening

Despite the clear downsides, my experience suggests non-listening leadership persists due to very human cognitive and situational biases. At the individual level, leaders can struggle to listen due to overconfidence in their own perspectives (Dunning, 2011), preconceptions about who matters most (Homan, 2007), and not allocating focused time and attention for listening (Rock, 2008). Additionally, situational pressures like tight deadlines, ongoing distractions, and high activity levels can make less conscious yet still very real barriers to slowing down and truly engaging with others.

Organizational and cultural factors exacerbate these individual barriers. Bureaucracy, siloed structures, and weak relationships between levels often muffle or distort information as it flows upwards (Schulz-Hardt, 2006). Leaders may also come to prioritize delivering their own vision over understanding others' realities on the ground. This stem from incentives like shareholder expectations crowding out concerns like employee well-being or innovation (Lazonick & Mazzucato, 2013). Cultural norms can further condition people against surfacing dissenting views or "bad news" that risks displeasing superiors (Schein, 2017).

Overcoming such nested and self-reinforcing barriers demands an intentional and systematic approach from leaders committed to hearing all voices. However, making listening a true priority often represents an ongoing learning process requiring humility, self-awareness - and explicit efforts to establish new habits and structures fostering open communication throughout any organization.

Strategies for Cultivating a Listening Culture

Based on research and practical experience, several strategies stand out as particularly impactful for building a culture where people feel confident their perspectives will be heard. The following approaches can help conscientious leaders break down barriers to listening while signaling its importance.

Focus Time and Avoid Distractions

One direct way to demonstrate listening is giving it focused time and attention unhindered by devices or interruptions (Rock, 2008). For example, some leaders schedule "listening meetings" with direct reports where technology is banned and the sole focus remains giving full attention to the other person without interruption. Such dedicated sessions signal that input merits full engagement rather than just peripherally "multi-tasking" while listening.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Inviting open-ended questions avoids yes/no responses and encourages deeper sharing of opinions, concerns or ideas (Schein, 2017). For instance, asking "what are your thoughts on..." versus "do you agree that..." prompts more expansive answers revealing nuances staff may not otherwise surface. Follow ups like "can you give me an example..." or "tell me more about..." further builds understanding.

Provide Regular Feedback Loops

Whether through dedicated weekly one-on-ones, anonymous suggestions boxes, or company-wide surveys, feedback mechanisms give approachable pathways for input while reassuring those contributing that their perspectives were seriously evaluated (Anthropic, 2021). For impact, leaders should then visibly act or adjust based on gathered input whenever feasible to maintain engagement.

Foster Psychological Safety

No one will freely speak up if reprisal seems possible for dissenting or unpopular opinions (Edmondson, 2018). Leaders establish psychological safety by role modeling appreciation for diverse views, transparently addressing mistakes, and ensuring zero tolerance for retaliation - verbally and behaviorally confirming all staff can raise concerns judgement-free. Regular reminders also help sustain open cultures.

Break Down Silos

Information distortions diminish when cross-team connections and awareness increase (Schulz-Hardt, 2006). Rotating assignments, informal social functions, and mixing agendas in meetings all help foster understanding between groups usually separated. Employees also feel heard when leadership solicits viewpoints beyond just direct reports or majority demographics. Initiatives spanning functions can multiply impacted insights.

Lead With Humility

Overconfidence inhibits learning from others (Dunning, 2011). Humble leaders better evaluate critiques on merit versus perceived slight, own mistakes, praise staff contributions freely, and iterate based on new information even if contradicting initial views. This models open-mindedness vital for motivating others to provide candid yet constructive feedback for continual growth.

Applying Strategies: Case Studies

Seeing such listening approaches in action provides valuable lessons. Consider the following organizational examples:

A Global Manufacturer

Struggling with low motivation and siloed R&D, this CPG firm's new CEO prioritized listening via monthly "coffee chats" where any staff could openly discuss concerns. From frontline workers to scientists, hundreds partook and ideas poured in. The CEO then created cross-functional "innovation teams" to test run recommended changes and new product concepts. Unexpected growth resulted from embracing overlooked opportunities across divisions. Renewed collaboration now thrives with trusted two-way communication channels.

A Software Startup

Shortly after Series B, employee satisfaction sharply dropped at a growing SaaS provider dominated by overconfident engineers. The new COO led a "listening tour" meeting with every employee, soliciting anonymous input via notecards. Critiques centered around unclear priorities and an "ivory tower" leadership disconnected from realities. The executive team then adjusted OKRs and spending based on accurate sentiment, boosting visibility by sharing rationales. Morale significantly rebounded through visibly acted-upon two-way communication re-establishing trust.

A Global Retailer

Once on shaky ground, a department store chain instituted "open-book management" championed by a new store manager. Cross-division huddles unpacked performance data to crowdsource ideas versus top-down orders. Store associates feeling ownership helped test new loyalty programs boosting foot traffic. Virtual weekly review forums with transparent leadership further strengthened coordination and a sense of shared destiny across locations. A culture where teams felt truly heard lifted company-wide performance.

In each case, humility, focus, and removing barriers enabled leaders to gain invaluable multi-level input addressing real challenges. Small yet sincere efforts fostering psychological safety, breaking silos, and incorporating diverse perspectives paid off through higher engagement, better decision making, and tangible outcomes - illustrating how essential listening leadership proves for sustained organizational success.

Conclusion

While the challenges of prioritizing listening often stem from deeply human tendencies, turning a deaf ear to others' voices represents an ongoing struggle organizations cannot afford to ignore. The research foundation conclusively demonstrates that non-listening cultures jeopardize relationships, innovation, agility and overall performance in today's business landscape that demands open communication and continual learning especially from dissenting opinions. However, through strategies creating dedicated time and space for input, modeling appreciation for diverse views, removing silos and providing inclusive feedback loops, leaders can systematically cultivate psychologically safe environments where people feel confident contributing without fear of repercussion. As the case studies illustrated, even small yet visible efforts unlock tremendous untapped potential when all levels within organizations can productively contribute. For any leader dedicated to continual growth, making listening a true priority through humility and self-awareness may offer the highest returns of all.

References

1. Anthropic. (2021, March 15). Why listening is crucial for employee engagement. Anthropic.

2. Cooper, R. G. (2005). Product leadership: Creating and launching superior new products. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.

3. Deloitte. (2018, January 22). The 2018 Deloitte Global Millennial Survey. Deloitte.

4. Dunning, D. (2011). The Dunning-Kruger effect: On being ignorant of one's own ignorance. In Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 44, pp. 247-296). Academic Press.

5. Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons.

6. Homan, A. C. (2007). Toward reducing and managing implicit bias and stereotype threat: Six recommendations. California Faculty Association.

7. Kotter, J. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 59-67.

8. Lazonick, W., & Mazzucato, M. (2013). The risk-reward nexus in the innovation-inequality relationship: Who takes the risks? Who gets the rewards?. Industrial and Corporate Change, 22(4), 1093-1128.

9. Rock, D. (2008, August 28). SCARF: A brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others. NeuroLeadership Institute.

10. Schein, E. H. (2017). Organizational culture and leadership (5th ed.). Wiley.

11. Schulz-Hardt, S., Jochims, M., & Frey, D. (2002). Productive conflict in group decision making: Genuine and contrived dissent as strategies to counteract biased information seeking. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 88(1), 563-586.

12. Watkins, M. (2013, January 8). What is organizational listening? And why do leaders need to practice it? Harvard Business Review.

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Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Associate Dean and Director of HR Programs (WGU); Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD/HR/Leadership Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.

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Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2026). "Leaders Who Don't Listen: An Ongoing Organizational Struggle. Human Capital Leadership Review, 30(4). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.30.4.1