Listening Builds More Trust Than Talking

Leadership isn’t always about having the right answers.

Sometimes, it’s about asking the right questions and listening.

When I served as a leader for doctors in Delta State, we often entered meetings with solutions already mapped out in our heads.

But on one particular occasion, everything changed.

The room was tense with colleagues frustrated about pay, working conditions, and patient overload.

My instinct was to defend the administration and provide quick fixes.

Instead, the chairman paused and asked:

“Tell us what we are really struggling with right now.”

Then he stayed quiet.

For the first time, people opened up honestly.

They didn’t just want policies; they wanted to be heard.

By the end of the meeting, we hadn’t solved everything, but the atmosphere had shifted.

Trust was built not because the chairman spoke, but because he listened.

That day taught me something every leader must remember:

People don’t follow titles; they follow trust.

And trust grows when people feel heard.

Today, choose one conversation where you’ll speak less and listen more.

Create space for honesty, and you may find it unlocks more than any speech could.

I am rooting for you!

Ikechukwu Okoh