How to Lead So You Hear What Others See
By Suzie Thoraval
Practical habits that help leaders spot emerging risks early and build safer, stronger teams
“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d rather have talked.”
Recently, I’ve had several conversations with different leaders who said they were working for someone who didn’t value their perspective. They believed in the organisation and cared about the work but they didn’t feel their observations were welcome.
Dr Brené Brown calls this armoured leadership — leading from self-protection, control and defensiveness. Armoured leaders rely on power, perfectionism and compliance. They hold tight to their own perspective as the right one, and people eventually learn to stay quiet because offering a different viewpoint feels risky.
Daring leadership and adaptive stability
Brown contrasts this with daring leadership, which is grounded, curious and open to honest conversation. Daring leaders recognise that strength comes from awareness, not tight control.
This idea is embedded in adaptive stability. Leaders with adaptive stability are centred enough to welcome diverse input, flexible enough to explore concerns without feeling threatened, and grounded enough to make decisions informed by a range of perspectives. This builds trust and psychological safety — conditions that reduce blind spots and strengthen outcomes.
Titan - a leader who didn't listen
In June 2023, the Titan submersible imploded during a dive to the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five people on board, including CEO, Stockton Rush. Rush believed strongly in using experimental materials to push deep-sea exploration forward.
The core safety risk raised by the team centred on Titan’s carbon-fibre hull, a material never used before for this kind of extreme depth. Engineers inside OceanGate, along with external experts, warned that the material could weaken over repeated dives and fail without warning. They urged independent certification and more rigorous testing.
These concerns weren’t welcomed. Staff who raised issues were ignored, sidelined or, in some cases, pushed out of the organisation. Those speaking up weren’t trying to block innovation — they were deeply committed specialists who wanted the mission to succeed safely.
When people are afraid to speak up or leaders don't listen to what is raised, leaders lose sight of emerging risks. In the case of Titan, the early signals existed. They simply didn't shape the decisions that mattered in the end - with fatal consequences.
When everyday signals are missed
These dynamics show up in ordinary work too. Imagine a team preparing quarterly financials. A junior analyst spots a number that doesn’t look right. It isn’t a major issue — just something that feels off. They hesitate, unsure if raising it will be seen as helpful or nit-picking.
If it’s voiced early, the team can quickly check the numbers, uncover a simple spreadsheet error, and correct it in minutes. If it’s missed, the mistake can carry through to a published report, creating unnecessary reputational issues and avoidable rework.
People close to the work often see things leaders can’t. When they feel comfortable to offer their perspective, small adjustments happen early and easily. When they stay silent, minor issues compound.
Research on signals and systems
Behavioural psychologist Dr Catherine A. Sanderson has shown that people are far more likely to speak up when leaders respond with curiosity and appreciation. Even when the concern is minor, the act of being listened to strengthens trust and reduces avoidance.
The Stanford Social Innovation Review notes that early detection of risk often comes from people closest to the work — where small signals appear first.
This is consistent with the global risk standard which recommends that risk identification involve people with the most direct knowledge of operations, as they are closest to emerging changes.
These insights support what we know: Organisations become more robust when people feel comfortable to share what they are seeing from their vantage point.
The editor’s margin notes
Decision-making is a lot like book editing. Before a manuscript is published, many editors review it. Each person notices something different — a clunky sentence, a gap in flow, a detail that needs checking. The author, who has lived inside the pages for months, often can’t see the problems anymore. Psychologists call this 'familiarity bias'.
The manuscript becomes stronger because many people can mark up the margins.
Leadership works the same way. When people feel free to offer their “margin notes,” decisions get better. When they hold back, small issues go uncorrected and eventually influence outcomes in ways no one intended.
Making it easier for people to bring you the signals you need
Here are a few practical habits that encourage better awareness without overwhelming anyone:
Invite small signals. Ask “What are you noticing?” or “Does anything feel different?”
Acknowledge every contribution. Even minor concerns matter; being listened to builds trust.
Use simple signal checks. Has this appeared before? Could it matter if conditions shift?
Open communication doesn’t mean absorbing everything equally. Some concerns are quick clarifications; the value lies in creating space to explore them.
Normalise that not every concern leads to a risk. Speaking up still strengthens awareness.
Early signals save time. Small corrections made early prevent larger problems later.
Close the loop. Let people know what happens next; it reinforces that their input makes a difference.
A Pause for leaders
Ask yourself:
What early signals have you noticed lately?
How easy is it for people in your world to bring you their insights or perspectives?
Where might silence be shaping decisions more than you realise?
The strength that comes from shared awareness
Strong leadership grows from the habit of listening. When people trust that their observations will be heard, leaders and organisations gain a broader view of what’s unfolding. Decisions improve. Risks are spotted earlier. People feel more confident contributing their perspective.
You don’t need to see everything yourself. You only need to create a space where people can share what they see.
What perspectives or signals might be waiting for your attention?
