Hello Reader,

Greetings from Taiwan. Let's talk about an important skill today, that isn't discussed a lot. Listening.

Executive presence is often mistaken for the ability to command a room with powerful words. But in reality, some of the most impactful leaders don’t dominate conversations, they elevate them through listening.

In every meeting, you’ll notice three kinds of listeners.

The first is bbarely there. Eyes on the phone, mind elsewhere, offering the occasional nod. Presence: absent.
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The second is more engaged, but only on the surface. They listen just enough to respond. You can almost see them waiting for you to finish so they can jump in with pre-packaged solutions. It feels efficient, but often misses the point entirely.

And then there’s the third kind,the rare one. The attentive listener. The one who leans in, asks thoughtful questions, and goes one level deeper. Not just what is happening, but why. Not just the problem, but the emotion behind it.

This is where executive presence truly shows up.

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Because leadership today is less about having all the answers and more about understanding the reality your team is navigating. When you listen deeply, you begin to hear hesitation, frustration, uncertainty the things that don’t always get said directly. And that’s where trust is built.

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If you want to become the third kind and truly understand one level deeper, here are three questions to guide your listening:

• “Can you tell me more about how this makes you feel?”
• “What’s making this particularly difficult for you?”
• “What’s something you haven’t said yet, but feel?”

These questions don’t just solve problems, they create connection.

Simon Sinek said it too

There’s a popular narrative, often echoed by thinkers like Simon Sinek, that Gen Z lacks commitment or drive. But if you listen one level deeper, you might hear a different story, growing up watching layoffs, instability, or burnout at home. What looks like disengagement may actually be self-protection.

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In a world full of noise, the leader who listens beyond the obvious doesn’t just lead better—they understand better.