The Leadership Superpower You Might Be Overlooking

The Power of Listening

For a long time, I thought success, whether in business, leadership, or everyday conversations, was about being right. If I had the facts, the logic, and the best solution, that should be enough. But over time, I’ve learned that people don’t always need the "right" answer. More often than not, they just need to feel heard.

That quote has stuck with me. And although I can never recite it line for line, I understand the message, and it’s changed the way I run my business, lead my team at work, and especially how I interact with my Little League kids who I’ve been coaching for the past 5+ years.  

You Can Be Right, or You Can Make a Difference

In both business and baseball, being a leader isn’t about having all the right answers. It’s about making sure the people around you feel heard and valued. At work, I see this all the time. Maybe one of our team members are performing below their ability, or a designer is stressed about a delayed install. In the past, my first instinct was to simply address the problem or explain how we’d get it sorted. But now, I know the best thing I can do is to acknowledge their situation, and make sure they know their concerns are being heard.

We’ve all been in those situations where we know we’re right. Maybe it’s a communication mix-up or figuring out the best way to get a large sofa down a tight staircase. It’s tempting to dig in and prove our point to be right, but that rarely strengthens relationships. Instead, I’ve found that people respond better when they feel heard, even if the final decision doesn’t go their way.

Coaching Little League provides me with the opportunity to use this superpower. Little Johnny strikes out and stomps off into the dugout. I could tell him what he did wrong, break down his swing, and give him all the technical advice in the world. But that’s not what he needs in that moment. A simple, “Shake it off, I believe in you”, with a genuine dose of empathy will go much further. People don’t need a lecture - they need support

Building a Culture of Kindness

At DMI Denver, we talk a lot about communication, patience, and trust. While logistics is what we do, our WHY is “to build strong relationships”.  Choosing kindness over the need to be right doesn’t mean ignoring problems, it means handling them in a way that fosters long-term trust. 

At the end of the day, people may forget the details of an argument, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel. In a world where everyone’s trying to talk over each other, being the one who truly listens can set you apart.

So the next time you find yourself eager to prove your point, consider stepping back and listening instead. Because being right might win an argument, but being kind wins loyalty, trust, and real connections. And that’s what truly matters at the end of the day.