Shut Up & Succeed: The High-Performance Power of Listening.

Last week, I was in conversation with another small business owner about a subject I’ve written about before - the daily choice we have to be either judgmental (a somewhat childish response to a situation), or curious (a more adult response). At which point he told me about a course he’d recently been on, when one of the participants was told to ‘take the cotton wool out of both of your ears and shove it down your throat’!!

Harsh. But probably fair.

The premise that we have two ears and one mouth, and that it is wise to use them in this proportion. Yes, to talk might be the speedier and more expedient thing to do, and of course, you might also like the sound of your own voice (no, surely, not you).

But, as a leader or colleague, what do we learn by taking this approach? How about giving the other people on the call or in the room some airtime? To be interesting, your first have to be interested.

Or course, in high-performance business environments, we often celebrate the charismatic speaker - the one who can command a room, pitch with flair and dazzle with a PowerPoint. But here’s the truth: while everyone’s busy trying to be the smartest person talking, the real game-changers are the ones listening. Yes, listening - the underappreciated, unsung hero of elite performance. It’s not flashy, it won’t get you a standing ovation, but it will make you more effective, more influential, and probably more likeable (which never hurts in a boardroom).

Listening is like a secret weapon for high performers.

Why? Because it’s not just about being polite, it’s about gathering intelligence. While others are busy rehearsing their next clever comment, great listeners are collecting data, spotting opportunities and reading between the lines. It’s the difference between re-acting and responding, between pitching blind and solving real problems.

Imagine this - you walk into a client meeting and launch into your best monologue. Stats, buzzwords, metaphors, the whole nine yards. But five minutes in, you’ve missed the fact that the client’s priorities have shifted, their budget’s been cut, and their biggest competitor just launched a product that’s eating their lunch. All information they would have told you, if you’d just shut up for a second.

High performers listen like it’s a competitive sport. They listen with purpose. They’re not waiting for their turn to talk; they’re mining for gold. Whether it’s uncovering the subtext in a negotiation, noticing hesitation in a team member’s voice, or simply understanding what really matters to their colleague or client, strategic listening is what gives them the edge.

Now let’s add another layer to active listening - ‘hearing’. Hearing is when you’re fully present, absorbing not just what’s being said, but how it’s said. And what’s not being said too. It’s essentially business mindfulness.When someone says, ‘I hear you’, that’s at a completely different level to simply listening to someone.

Listening is a cultural superpower.

In high-performing teams, it creates psychological safety - people feel heard, respected and become more willing to contribute as an outcome. This provides the rich soil from where innovation grows. If your team only hears from the loudest voice in the room (usually Dave from sales), you’re probably missing out on your best ideas, and slowly killing morale.

‘The path to brilliance is often paved with absurdity’. Well, if you don’t create a safe space by listening to and hearing each other, who’s going to be brave enough to be the crazy one?

Ironically, becoming a better listener will also make you a more powerful speaker. Once you’ve really understood someone’s perspective, your responses are sharper, your insights more relevant, and your influence more magnetic. You’re not just adding noise, you’re adding value.

So, if you want to level up your performance, try this: talk less. Listen like it really matters, because it does. Your clients will notice. Your team will thank you. And Dave from sales? He might even take the hint.

High performance isn’t just about being heard. It’s about hearing what matters and then acting on it. Quietly, strategically, and often with far greater impact than the loudest voice in the room.

That’s right, get that cotton wool out of those ears and into your throat.

Mike