The Power of Silence in Leadership

   In today’s fast-paced corporate world, leaders often feel the pressure to talk – to solve, to direct, to be the loudest voice in the room. But there’s a more profound truth: the most influential leaders are the ones who know when to stop talking and start listening. 

   I’ll never forget when a corporate leader brought me into his organization, desperate to “fix” his broken team. Within minutes of observing, it became clear: He wasn’t empowering his people; he was steamrolling them. He talked for 45 minutes straight, never noticing that his team had tuned him out—they were checking their phones, staring out the window, completely disengaged.

   During a break, I pulled him aside and said, “For the next two hours, can you do me a favor? Don’t talk.” He was confused but reluctantly agreed. What happened next was incredible: his team came alive without his voice dominating the room. They debated, collaborated, and were genuinely heard for the first time. At one point, he became visibly anxious. I could tell he was dying to jump in and “fix” things. He eventually snapped and interrupted, saying, “This is a waste of time; we’re getting nowhere.”

   But that wasn’t true. His team was finally finding their voice. And that was the breakthrough.

   Three weeks later, he called me and said, “Rich, I didn’t realize it, but I’ve been the problem all along. I’ve always felt I needed to be the one with the answers, but now I see I need to let my team figure things out.”

   That’s the power of silence. It’s not about saying the right thing; it’s about creating the space for others to step up. A great leader listens more than they speak.

   They don’t feel the need to control every conversation or have the last word. They empower their teams by giving them the room to grow, to innovate, and to lead. If you’re always the one talking, you’re missing the opportunity to listen – and in listening, you’ll find the real power of leadership.