Listen for What Isn't Being Said.

Most people don't listen.
They wait.
They reload.
They plan what to say next while the other person is still speaking.

Leaders do this too — often with the best of intentions.
They want to fix, to advise, to move things forward.
But in doing so, they miss the quiet truth hidden between the words.

I learned this lesson not in a boardroom, but in a locker room.
As a head coach, I thought my job was to speak.
To motivate, to direct, to lead.
Until one day, a player I'd been pushing pulled me aside.
He said, "You keep telling me what to do — but you've never asked what I think."

That moment hit hard.
He was right.
I wasn't leading — I was lecturing.
Since then, I've learned that deep listening is a form of presence in motion.

It's how truth surfaces — not through volume, but through attention.
When you truly listen, people reveal what they actually need — not what you assume they do.

Without listening, relationships deteriorate quietly.
Your team complies, but they don't commit.
Your partner speaks, but stops sharing.
You lead meetings, but miss meaning.

But when you listen — really listen — everything softens.
Walls lower.
Trust builds.
People start telling you the truth, not what they think you want to hear.

Listening isn't passive; it's powerful.
It's how connection begins, healing starts, and leadership deepens.

So today, do one thing:
In your next conversation, don't interrupt.
Don't plan your reply.
Just hold space.
Listen for what isn't being said.

You might be surprised how much the world will tell you,
when you stop trying to talk over it.

Yours truly,
Andrew