👉 Struggling to get honest feedback? Try listening without the urge to respond.
👉 Struggling to get honest feedback? Try listening without the urge to respond.
Ever felt like you were missing something—even while listening closely?
I recently moderated a peer coaching session for WHU Kellogg MBA senior leaders, and one exercise left a lasting impression. Each leader presented a real-world challenge they were facing—then turned their back to the group and just listened. No eye contact. No facial cues. No interruptions.
At first? Uncomfortable. Awkward. Strange. But then—something shifted.
💡 Without the usual visual distractions, leaders stopped filtering feedback through their own assumptions. They couldn’t clarify, defend, or redirect—they just had to llisten and absorb.
It reminded me of the active listening for understanding exercise I recently did. After sharing their case, these leaders shifted from listening to respond to listening to understand. No pressure to fix or explain—just space to hear what’s really being said.
And here’s what I learned:
🔹 Silence Can Be a Superpower—Resisting the urge to speak allowed insights to land deeper. Like in art, what’s unsaid often holds the most meaning.
🔹 Blind Spots Become Visible — Without body language to rely on, leaders heard things they’d previously missed.
🔹 Filtering is Key — Too much feedback can overwhelm. The real skill? Shifting to feedforward. Shifting focus from what went wrong to suggestions and insights that focus on what’s next — for future success.
This experience underscored that leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about creating space to truly hear what’s beneath the surface. And when that input includes feedforward—it becomes even more powerful.
So I’ll ask you:
👉 Who gives you honest, agenda-free feedback?
👉 What happens when you listen with full presence—without planning your reply?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. 👂