Listening is Leading

By Dawson Allen

Maybe you thought you always had to talk to be a leader? Or maybe you’ve been a part of group where no one listened to your ideas? Isn’t that frustrating? To be a great leader, you have to listen to lead. Take a moment and let other people’s ideas sink in because other ideas may change the way you think and make your idea better.

When you tell everybody what to do only your ideas happen. But when you take the time to listen, everybody’s brains can think together. It’s like this magic happening, it’s mixing together. It’s a lean mean thinking machine. Teams always go farther than just one person.

But it’s more than just ideas mixing together. It’s like puzzle pieces fitting together to make one big puzzle that you could never have if you were the only one giving out all the ideas. When you’re the only one giving out the ideas it’s like a bunch of puzzle pieces that don’t even fit together. When you take the chance to lead by listening, others share their pieces. That helps you become a great leader because you’re helping that huge puzzle come together. That whole puzzle is better than a bunch of random puzzle pieces that don’t even fit together and that’s why there’s more to leading than just telling everybody what to do. 

When everybody’s working together, that’s God’s plan. God wants everybody to pitch in and piece their ideas together to make a puzzle. When you have only your ideas that’s your plan and we all know that God’s plan is always better than your plan no matter what. It’s like on a sports team. Is a successful team where only one player is going to get the ball and always be the one to score? No! The team that uses teamwork is always the best team.

Ask yourself, have I listened more than I’ve talked? How can I help other people feel heard and part of a team?

Next time you lead in anything, think to yourself “Am I listening to others and working as a team?” Then, together, you can lead and complete master God’s plan.