Listen First, Lead Better

“Leadership is about understanding your team members, sharing your knowledge together, then negotiating solutions to get to your shared goals and mission."

Bill Tsang

Co-President and Director of Research, Youth Global Network

Ed.D., Harvard University

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Written by: Luke Abernathy

Reflecting on a quote contributed by Bill Tsang for Lead Forward's Words To Lead By

The first time a tired high school robotics team meets after a long day, one thing becomes clear: the robot is not always the hard problem; it's the people. One student is stressed about math homework. Another wants to redesign the entire project. Somebody just wants everybody to stop talking over each other. In those moments, leadership is not the heroic speech; it's about understanding the people in the room.

The words of Bill Tsang bring us back to the fact that leadership starts by observing. When you understand your team, you learn what they need to do the best work possible. Maybe your quiet member has great ideas, but feels overlooked. Maybe two teammates want the same goal but disagree on how to get there. Your role is not to force your own plan but to guide the group toward a shared mission.

Think of a student who stops an argumentative debate and says, "Let's hear everyone's view before we decide." That creates trust. Or a club president who teaches a new member how to run a meeting instead of doing everything herself. That builds confidence. Or a sports captain who helps teammates talk through a conflict so they can get back to playing as a unit. That builds unity.

Great leaders do not stand above the team; they serve the team. They grow with the team. When you focus on understanding, sharing, and negotiating, people feel seen. And when people feel seen, they rise.