Between sports, media, and business, I’ve gotten to spend my time around a lot of different types of leaders. Some of the earliest examples were coaches, and many of them fit the classic stereotype by yelling and screaming in our faces about what we should and shouldn’t do. I never liked that style of leadership. It’s a style that is based on one person having all the answers, and making sure everyone else hears what they have to say. The most effective leadership is through listening, not yelling.
None of us have all the answers! So when I experienced leaders who took a different approach, like the great coach Bud Grant of the Minnesota Vikings, I got to see just how powerful a leader who listens really is.
