Does the way a team manager listens shape how the entire team listens? A new study led by Dr Osnat Bouskila-Yam of the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology and the Arison School of Business at Reichman University, in collaboration with Prof Nurit Zaidman of the Department of Business Administration at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, reveals a clear and significant link. The findings show that a manager’s listening style directly determines the listening climate in team meetings. When managers provide uninterrupted opportunities for each member to speak, avoid cutting them off, and display genuine emotional attentiveness, they create the conditions for open, deeper, and more effective dialogue. Conversely, partial listening, a lack of authenticity, or frequent interruptions undermine the overall quality of the team’s listening.
Unlike many previous studies conducted in controlled laboratory environments, this research was carried out in real organisational settings. The researchers observed how managers’ listening habits played out in actual workplace interactions, providing a more authentic picture of their impact. Data were gathered through 29 direct observations of team meetings, 18 in-depth interviews, and 10 focus groups, involving eight high-tech teams from two Israeli companies. This approach allowed the researchers to capture not only what was said but also how the communicative atmosphere evolved in response to different listening styles.
The study identified six distinct types of listening, ranging from disruptive listening to deep listening, as well as forms of listening that prompt speakers to understand themselves better. The most striking finding concerned the central role of team leaders: only managers who listened with empathy, inclusivity, and without judgment were able to foster a consistently positive listening environment. Crucially, this climate of attentiveness and respect was mirrored in the behaviour of team members, creating a shared culture of high-quality listening.
Dr Bouskila-Yam highlighted the distinction between functional management and what she terms “listening-based management.” She explained, “A manager who truly listens not only gains a better understanding of their employees but also creates a space where others can better understand themselves. This is the essential difference between operational management and listening-based management. It is not enough to acquire emotional listening skills — they must be actively applied in meetings, including by giving quieter voices the chance to contribute.”
Prof Zaidman stressed the broader implications for leadership training and organisational culture. “Our findings point to the need for both managers and employees to be trained in authentic listening, not just in how to deliver messages persuasively,” she noted. This shift in emphasis reframes listening as a core professional competency, essential not only for effective communication but also for trust-building and collaboration within teams.
By grounding their research in the lived experiences of high-tech teams, the authors have provided compelling evidence that listening is far more than a polite gesture — it is a powerful driver of communication quality and team performance. Their work suggests that fostering empathetic, attentive, and non-judgmental listening could be one of the most effective ways to strengthen cohesion, engagement, and innovation in the workplace. In short, when leaders listen well, their teams learn to listen well too.
More information: Osnat Bouskila-Yam et al, Listening in team meetings – what is the team leader’s influence? Journal of Communication Management. DOI: 10.1108/JCOM-02-2024-0032
Journal information: Journal of Communication Management Provided by Reichman University