Aug 25, 2026 · 38 min · 12 segments
We've been talking a lot about AI on the podcast recently. So this week, we're revisting a distinctly human episode from 2024 on the value of listening. As experts, managers or leaders, we often seek…
Georgie RuddGuestRoss DickieHostGemma TowerseyHostSo, Georgie, you argue that the quality of listening across corporate life is generally, it leaves something to be desired.
Yeah, I mean, I think I'll just start by saying, of course, this is a general sense of the quality of listening in businesses and corporations.
But from my experience in talking to a lot of people, generally the quality of listening is poor day to day.
So the first is really around, I think, the mindset or the view of what does adding value look like at work? I think most of us grow up at work and our experiences tell us that the way we add value is to talk and to contribute and to show and demonstrate all the clever things we know.
And it takes a while actually for us to learn that we can add just as much value, if not more value, by creating a space for other people.
So I think the mindset around what does adding value look like is one of those things for sure.
The perception is it will take me more time to do that than it would for me to direct and to tell.
And I think all those things are, you know, things we can start to really work on with leaders and teams to change the view of that.
I mean, like you were saying with the time pressure, the people thinking, oh, I'll just do that or I'll just direct and advise rather than allowing someone to come up with solutions to themselves.
Because there's that, I guess there's power, there's a power dynamics thing or there's lack of trust or lack of belief in that person.
So, Georgie, you argue that the quality of listening across corporate life is generally, it leaves something to be desired.
Yeah, I mean, I think I'll just start by saying, of course, this is a general sense of the quality of listening in businesses and corporations.
But from my experience in talking to a lot of people, generally the quality of listening is poor day to day.
So the first is really around, I think, the mindset or the view of what does adding value look like at work? I think most of us grow up at work and our experiences tell us that the way we add value is to talk and to contribute and to show and demonstrate all the clever things we know.
And it takes a while actually for us to learn that we can add just as much value, if not more value, by creating a space for other people.
So I think the mindset around what does adding value look like is one of those things for sure.
The perception is it will take me more time to do that than it would for me to direct and to tell.
And I think all those things are, you know, things we can start to really work on with leaders and teams to change the view of that.
I mean, like you were saying with the time pressure, the people thinking, oh, I'll just do that or I'll just direct and advise rather than allowing someone to come up with solutions to themselves.
Because there's that, I guess there's power, there's a power dynamics thing or there's lack of trust or lack of belief in that person.
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