A cornerstone of effective leadership is truly listening—stilling your mind and absorbing others' words without planning your response. This requires deliberate focus and an open mindset.
In How to Be Like the Wooden Coach by Pat Williams, Coach John Wooden stressed: "In my opinion, to be an effective leader, you have to be an effective listener. Success is most often achieved by asking 'how?' than by saying 'no.' Listen to those under your supervision. Really listen. Don't act like you're listening and just let it go from ear to ear. Pretending is worse than not pretending at all."
In Wooden on Leadership with Steve Jamison, he added: "It's very easy to feel comfortable in a leadership position, to believe that you have all the answers, especially when you start experiencing success. One of the reasons it's so hard to stay on top is that once you get there, it's so easy to stop listening and learning. Progress is hard when you're not listening."
Wooden's timeless advice: If you want to be heard, listen. Always seek to find the best way rather than insisting on your own way.
Related: The Art of Leadership
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Yet listening alone isn't enough; leaders must foster an environment where team members speak candidly. In Wooden on Leadership, Wooden noted: "As a leader, you need to be confident enough to employ people who aren't afraid to speak up and express their opinion. If you're willing to listen, it means little if no one wants to talk substantially."
In A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentorship with Don Yeager, he drew from Abraham Lincoln's example in Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals: "When Lincoln was elected president, he appointed a number of former political opponents to serve as his advisers... By selecting men he knew who disagreed with him... he ensured that he would face legitimate challenges to his ideas, rather than end up in a pool of yes-men."
Wooden applied this with his assistant coaches: "There were times when we differed on strategy or philosophy... I was thrilled when these challenges arose... Nothing ruins a team faster than apathy. Based on Lincoln's example, I encouraged my assistant coaches to express ideas that might differ or even totally contradict mine."
This approach thrived on genuine concern and respect: "Lincoln really cared about the opinions of his comrades... he treated them with respect so that they would continue to offer these opinions." Wooden viewed challenges not as disrespect, but as vital to strong leadership.
Related: The Qualities of a Humble Leader
