Listening: My Most Underrated Superpower

When people ask me what’s helped me most in my transition from a 20-year career in sales and service to coaching and consulting, they expect me to say something flashy, like strategy, hustle, or negotiation tactics. But the truth is far simpler. The skill that’s had the biggest impact on my career? Listening.

Not the kind of listening where you’re just waiting to talk. I’m talking about active, intentional, human-centered listening. The kind that builds trust. The kind that makes people feel seen and heard. And the kind that actually changes lives, mine included.

Lessons From the Sales Floor

I didn’t always understand the power of listening. In my early sales days, I focused on talking, pitching, persuading, and closing the deal. But over time, I noticed something: the best outcomes happened when I shut up and paid attention.

Clients would open up about what they really needed, not just the product specs, but their goals, their fears, their challenges. Once I got quiet enough to hear that, I started delivering real solutions, not just transactions. And that’s when my numbers started to climb.

Listening Builds Trust—Fast

Sales taught me that people can spot fake interest a mile away. You can’t fake good listening. When someone feels genuinely heard, a wall comes down. It’s one of the fastest ways to build trust in any relationship, personal, professional, or otherwise.

In coaching, this has been huge. My clients, especially the ones coming from high-stress, high-performance careers, aren’t looking for a cheerleader. They’re looking for someone who gets it. Someone who hears not just what they’re saying, but what they’re not saying.

From Transactions to Transformations

Coaching isn’t about selling a service. It’s about helping someone create change. That shift requires clarity, safety, and vulnerability. All three come from real connections. And connection doesn’t happen without listening first.

Sometimes, a client just needs space to talk through something out loud. Other times, they need someone to challenge their thinking. But I never know which until I’ve truly listened. That’s what makes coaching personal, not cookie-cutter.

Listening Isn’t Passive—It’s Strategic

Let’s be clear: listening isn’t just sitting there in silence. It’s an active choice. It’s reading between the lines, watching body language, tracking tone, and asking smart follow-up questions. It’s being fully present.

When I listen well, I pick up on what motivates someone, what holds them back, and where their blind spots are. That information is gold, it shapes how I guide the conversation and what tools I offer. It’s not about letting the client vent forever; it’s about helping them move forward with clarity.

Why It Matters More Today Than Ever

In today’s world, where attention is fragmented and everyone’s rushing to respond, deep listening is rare, and powerful. People are starving to be heard, not just skimmed over. That’s what makes this skill more valuable than ever, especially in service industries like coaching, consulting, or leadership development.

Clients don’t just want expertise, they want empathy. They want to work with someone who can meet them where they are before helping them level up. Listening does that. It’s what sets real professionals apart from people just going through the motions.

Listening Is a Muscle You Can Train

This isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you develop. I’ve had to work at it. Slow down. Stay curious. Resist the urge to jump in with advice too soon.

When I train new coaches or service pros, I always say this: If you’re not listening, you’re guessing. And if you’re guessing, you’re not really helping.

You don’t need a million certifications to start making an impact. You just need to show up, ask the right questions, and listen like it matters, because it does.

What Clients Have Taught Me

One of the best parts of coaching is how much I learn from my clients. They’ve taught me that even the most high-achieving, high-performing individuals still need space to think out loud, to be vulnerable, to process.

When someone trusts you enough to share their raw thoughts, and you meet that with patience instead of performance, magic happens. You help them feel safe to grow.

Listening Isn’t Flashy—But It’s Everything

There’s no Instagram reel for active listening. It doesn’t look cool. It doesn’t trend. But it’s the foundation of everything I do. Whether I’m working with a client one-on-one, leading a group session, or consulting for a company, I start by listening.

That’s how I build trust, deliver value, and help people make real, lasting change. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Want to Be a Better Leader? Start Listening

If you’re a coach, consultant, or anyone in a leadership role, don’t underestimate the power of listening. It’s the secret weapon behind connection, influence, and transformation. And best of all, it’s free. You just have to be willing to use it.

Let people feel heard, and watch what happens.