Why Listening Is a Hard Business Skill, Not a Soft One

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-02-12

Let's be honest. We've all been in meetings where we're just waiting for our turn to speak. We nod along, but our minds are already crafting our next point. We call that listening, but is it really? Evy Gruyaert, a media personality for 25 years, is now tackling this exact question. Not as a presenter, but as the co-founder of All Ears, an organization that helps companies structurally embed real listening into their way of working. She argues that listening has been her most crucial professional tool for decades, long before she had the words or a business for it. And she doesn't mean it as some fluffy, empathetic add-on. She means it as a strategic lever for better understanding, sharper work, and more sustainable growth for both people and organizations. ### The Common Listening Traps We often confuse listening with simply waiting for our turn to talk. It's a passive state, not an active skill. Our brains are wired to fill in gaps quickly, drawing from our own 'backpack' of experiences and assumptions. We think we know what someone will say next, so we stop truly hearing them. This creates misunderstandings, missed opportunities, and a culture where people don't feel heard. Another big one? The fear of slowing down. In a fast-paced business world, taking time to listen feels inefficient. But here's the paradox Evy highlights. > "Sometimes, you have to slow down to move faster. Real listening prevents costly mistakes and misalignment that you'll have to fix later." ### How All Ears Builds a Listening Culture So, how does All Ears actually do this within companies? It's not about holding a single workshop. It's about creating systems and safe spaces where listening becomes a default, not an exception. They focus on practical frameworks that teams can use daily. - **Moving from Monologue to Dialogue:** Shifting team communications from broadcast mode to genuine exchange. - **Structured Feedback Loops:** Creating predictable, safe channels for input that people actually trust. - **Leader as Listener:** Redefining leadership strength to include the courage to be quiet and absorb. This work reveals that safety and trust aren't just nice-to-haves. They're the non-negotiable foundation of any strong company culture. Without them, even the most 'open-door' policy is just a phrase. ### What Leaders Get Wrong About Feedback This leads to a critical insight. Leaders often say they're 'open to feedback,' but they underestimate what that truly requires. It's not just about being available. It's about how you receive that feedback—your body language, your follow-up actions, and your willingness to be vulnerable. If people see that feedback leads to defensiveness or, worse, negative consequences, the 'openness' is just theater. Real listening at a leadership level means demonstrating that input is valued and acted upon, even when it's uncomfortable. For entrepreneurs and business professionals, especially in a collaborative environment, mastering this isn't a soft skill. It's a hard, measurable competency that drives clarity, innovation, and loyalty. It turns conversations from transactions into investments in your team's collective intelligence. Start by catching yourself the next time you're 'waiting to talk' and choose to listen instead. You might be surprised by what you've been missing.