A few days ago, a friend of mine told me about an interesting experience. During a Zoom meeting, he asked his team members to express themselves with a 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' about one of his proposals, telling them that he was definitely headed towards a 'thumbs up': the result was unanimous consensus.

This method has raised doubts about the effective use of active listening.
The lesson is that, contrary to what happens today, with quick reactions like 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down', the important thing would be to always ask "tell me more" and become truly active listeners.
Listening is a critical leadership skill, requiring you to observe and understand the context of others' words.
Active listening involves listening to what you don't want to hear and suspending judgment, creating a safe environment in which others can express themselves with sincerity.

Another concrete example of this theory emerged from an interview for a CEO position that a colleague of mine handled a few weeks ago. The candidate used the word “I” 14 times during the interview and this was considered a red flag.

In essence, active listening is essential to truly effective leadership; it certainly requires time and attention, but the benefits are invaluable, as it allows you to create authentic connections and a sense of connection between people.