The Gift of Being Heard

Every December, leaders feel the pressure build. Deadlines, performance conversations, family commitments, and everything else that comes with the end of the year. It is easy to move into efficiency mode. It is harder to stay present. Yet this time of year is when people need presence most.

People are carrying more than we can see. They are trying to finish the year strong while managing the extra demands December brings. Small moments of connection matter more than we often realize.

One of the most meaningful gifts a leader can offer this month is simple: Help someone feel heard.

I see this often in coaching, and this year I've come to appreciate even more how much a steady presence matters. A leader walks into a session feeling stretched thin or unsure about an interaction, a project, or a key meeting. We slow the pace. We talk through what's happening. Within minutes, you can feel the shift. They leave lighter because someone listened. 

The same thing happens in workplaces every day. When people feel heard, they relax, think more clearly, and communicate more openly. Even when nothing is solved right away, being heard helps people reconnect with their own resourcefulness. 

Listening is not complicated. It is a practice of attention.

Here are a few ways to offer that gift this month:

1. Create five-minute pauses.

You do not need long meetings to make a difference. A short, grounded conversation can reset someone's whole day. Ask one question and give them space to answer.

2. Name what you are hearing.

When someone shares something real, reflect it back in plain language. It helps them feel acknowledged and reduces misunderstanding.

3. Slow the pace just enough.

Even a small reduction in urgency can create more clarity. People can think more clearly when          they don't feel rushed. Even thirty seconds of quiet can help someone gather their thoughts.

4. Use your natural strengths.

Your Everything DiSC® style influences the strengths you bring to a conversation. Steady and supportive leaders create calm. Warm and engaging leaders make space for openness. Fast-paced leaders bring momentum and focus. Analytical leaders help others organize their thinking. You do not need to change who you are to listen well. You only need to use your strengths and intention.

5. Hold space without needing to solve.

Sometimes the most supportive thing you can do is let people process aloud. They often arrive at their own next step.

As the year winds down, people will remember how you made them feel. They will remember the ease you created, the clarity you helped them find and the respect you showed by listening well. The gift of being heard stays with people. When leaders offer it consistently, teams begin to thrive together. 

What's one way you'll deepen your listening skills this month?