In local government, effective leadership is rooted in understanding and serving the community. The ability to listen – genuinely and empathetically – is crucial, yet it is often overlooked. It is the foundation of trust and the catalyst for meaningful change.
We have gathered wisdom from various leaders and experts in community engagement, offering a roadmap for local government officials to enhance their listening skills. From meeting people where they are to embracing silence, these ten quotes illuminate the multifaceted nature of listening in governance.
Let's explore these ideas and discover how the art of listening can transform local governance and improve community relationships.
1. Meet People Where They Are
"We need to consistently engage and ask, 'What do you want from us? What do you need?' One community may not require the same thing as another community. The government should meet people where they are, not where we are."
2. Be a Part of the Solution
"If you're not listening, you are not creating shared solutions. We have to be in a place where we know how to listen well."
3. Be Willing to Learn
"You must be open to every criticism. Because if you are not listening, then you are not incorporating the right pieces, and you cannot move forward."
4. Listen to Understand
“We tend to listen to respond when what we've got to know to do is listen to understand.”
5. Find the Best Seat
“When you’re involved in a community meeting or event, don’t sit at the front of the room. Sit somewhere in the back, next to everyone, and then listen to the person who's in the back just whispering stuff. They're usually the ones that have the best things to say and contribute that other people don’t always pay attention to.”
6. Look Beyond the Data
"The community lives there, and they want to be authentically engaged and listened to. The community isn’t there to be a dataset in a plan or to check a box, so we need to stop focusing on data and just talk to the community."
7. Watch Your Words
“It’s so easy to have something you say be miscommunicated in a meeting about something happening in the community. When someone interprets your words differently, it spreads like wildfire.”
8. Take a Step Back
“I think sometimes we should pause and take a step back when we’re in a new space. I think we'll have an opportunity to really learn something if we go into things with cultural agility, open to learning and listening, instead of coming in to try and fix something. I think a lot of people want to go into something new just to try and fix things, but some things aren’t broken. They may need additional resources, but that doesn’t mean they’re broken.”
9. Be Wise
“It took me over 60 years to understand that the smartest person in the room is the one who's listening.”
10. Let the Silence Exist
“I think being empathetic and a good listener is important. Being quiet, taking thoughtful notes, absorbing them, and letting the silence exist. I haven’t always been good at letting the silence exist because it made me uncomfortable, but you have to do it. You will learn a lot from those moments.”
Conclusion
These ten insights reveal that listening is an active, intentional practice that requires humility, openness, and genuine curiosity. For local government leaders, it's about shifting from a top-down approach to a collaborative model where communities are truly understood and involved in shaping their futures.
This wisdom challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, to be present in our communities in new ways, and to create space for others' voices. As leaders embrace these principles, they pave the way for more inclusive, responsive, and effective governance. In the end, the art of listening is not just a skill for better governance - it's a pathway to building stronger, more connected communities.