It’s 9:47 pm. Your CEO is reviewing tomorrow’s board pack. Your middle manager is still online, double-checking that a project handover is airtight. Both are tired. Both are carrying lists in their heads: People, performance, priorities… and the things they’ve quietly sacrificed that day to keep the wheels turning.
Have you ever noticed how some voices make you lean in closer, hanging onto every word? Maybe it’s the way they pause. The tone. The rhythm. Or how a foreign language—even if you don’t understand it—makes your ears perk up, your brain scrambling to decode it. Perhaps it’s an unexpected accent that instantly softens you, sharpens your focus, or stirs a smile. Listening isn’t just about the words—it’s about how they’re delivered, how they make you feel, and whether they invite you in.