“Authenticity”, “effective-listening”, “empathy”, “gratitude”, “positive-thinking”

These concepts sound great, right?

But sometimes, these very ideals or concepts may become chains rather than must-haves.

In my executive coaching journey, I’ve noticed a pattern: Some leaders get all tangled up in their minds with trendy self-improvement buzzwords.

Instead of really listening to others, they start boxing everything into “right” or “wrong.” It’s like they’re judging every word you say before you even finish speaking.

Yes – what an irony! Even ‘effective-listening’ as a concept/ideal can keep you from really listening!

When you are in a chat with such a judgmental boss or peer, you may feel like your thoughts are being stuffed into little labelled boxes of what’s right or wrong.

It may also happen at home or with your friends.

Does anyone come to your mind who labels more than listens?

How does it feel?

How does it feel when you want to really express what you feel but the other keeps interrupting and judging at the cost of ideologies?

Arre bolne to do bhai…

It can impact your sense of worth & gradually make you doubt yourself, eroding your confidence.

These very ideals that make one a better leader may become like chains, stopping them from truly hearing what you have to say.

Now, PAUSE for a moment and reflect on this:

What if YOU, as a leader, unknowingly or knowingly, are labelling your team members with your own beliefs, concepts or assumptions rather than really listening to what they have to say?

Think about how your team feels in those moments?

So, how do we flip the switch?

How do we become better and effective listeners?

The answer lies in emptiness. Not of void, but of self.

* It’s about letting go—of our own ideas, our need to fix things, and our urge to judge.

* Listening isn’t about being silent; it’s about being present.

* Real listening means being open and curious.

* It’s about, “not trying to be the smartest person in the room.”

* It’s about tuning in to what someone else is saying, without interrupting with our own inner noise of concepts and labels.

Next time, why not try to listen, really listen, and see what happens..

What happens when we STOP trying to be the ‘expert’ and START being ‘human’.

Are you that person who ditches the labels and genuinely listens to others?

Who comes to your mind when you think about feeling unheard. Why?

Ashwni Sharma

MD & Founder – A Brighter Life | Global Executive Coach | Psychometric Assessment Professional | Master NLP Practitioner | Inner Transformation Specialist | Self Mastery Coach

Ashwni, the Founder and MD of A Brighter Life, is dedicated to empowering leaders to enhance their effectiveness, mindfulness, and influence for joyful success. With over 27+ years of corporate experience, driven by his passion for personal transformation, Ashwni left a successful career spanning four major companies across the UK, USA, and India. Working with CXOs, Board Members, and Top Leaders globally, he combines business management skills with life transformation expertise to enable practical and applicable conversations and actions. He holds international certifications as an Executive Coach and has mastered modalities such as NLP and Hypnotherapy. Ashwni’s passion lies in fostering self-leadership as the foundation for leadership development.

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