Rarely do we see listening and asking questions highlighted as vital management skill.
Why is that? There's a noticeable imbalance in leadership development, which tends to emphasize speaking and persuasion far more than listening.
Consider this: countless professionals make their living delivering speeches at corporate events. Being an engaging and persuasive speaker is a highly prized skill. Most events you’ve attended probably featured a “Keynote Speaker.” But have you ever seen a “Keynote Listener”?
Unlikely. Listening doesn’t carry the same prestige. One reason might be that speaking, especially to large audiences, doesn’t require the same personal engagement that listening often does.
Listening Is Personal
Listening is a deeply personal act. Unlike speaking, which often addresses groups, effective listening happens one voice at a time. Managers who prioritize listening usually do so because their values drive them to serve others rather than seek to be served.
The ability to listen and ask meaningful questions stems from a foundation built on strong, intentional values.
Although often underestimated, listening is actually one of the two most essential management skills. Why does GR8 Results place such importance on both listening and questioning? Because together, they allow managers to step into someone else’s world—to truly grasp their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. That insight builds connection, trust, and clarity—all vital for great management.
When listening is paired with asking thoughtful questions, it becomes a management superpower—an unmatched approach to better understanding people and navigating complex situations.
But make no mistake: listening isn’t passive. It takes effort, focus, and the awareness to recognize what might be getting in the way.
Listening Helps, Even Without Intention
One of the most powerful things about listening is that it helps others—even when you’re not actively trying to. People often walk away from being truly listened to feeling uplifted and valued. In fact, research shows that simply listening, without offering any advice, can be incredibly beneficial.
When someone has the chance to talk things out with a good listener, they often gain clarity on their own thoughts. Listening creates space for people to feel understood, supported, and sometimes even challenged in meaningful ways.
All of this happens when you take the time to genuinely listen. And it only gets better when you know how to listen well—and ask the right follow-up questions.
The Power of Asking Questions
Strong listening lays the groundwork for the next key management skill: asking questions. As Robert Fritz puts it, great listening is like “watching a mental video.” When you're truly tuned in, questions naturally arise from what you’re “seeing” in that conversation.
Together, listening and questioning allow leaders to tap into how someone thinks. That kind of insight is invaluable in coaching, mentoring, and shared learning.
From my own experience, very few people list "asking questions" as a top management skill. Most still view leadership through the lens of persuasion—motivating others to act or casting a compelling vision. But the real magic often happens through well-placed, thoughtful questions.
Why Questions Work
Questions are powerful because they instantly activate the mind. Whether the question is answered out loud or not, the brain starts searching for an answer the moment it hears one.
What happens when someone asks you a question? You probably just experienced it. Even in written form, it sparks curiosity and pulls you in.
That’s how our minds are wired—we naturally want to know, to explore, to understand. While statements can also prompt thought, questions go deeper and faster in creating engagement.
So give these two underrated skills a try. Move beyond relying solely on your ability to speak or persuade. Instead, elevate your listening and sharpen your questioning. Ask simple, relevant, and meaningful questions—and you’ll gain deeper understanding of the people and situations around you.