The most effective lab leaders are not the ones who talk the most—they are the ones who listen the best. Listening enables laboratory leaders to connect with their teams, anticipate challenges, and foster a culture of collaboration that drives results.
Julien Mirivel, PhD, professor of applied communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and author of The Art of Positive Communication, identifies listening as one of six essential practices that create connection. Along with greeting, asking questions, complimenting, disclosing, and encouraging, listening is a deliberate way to shape relationships through language.
“When you choose to listen as a leader, you are choosing to transcend the perceived differences that exist between you and other people,” Mirivel explained in a leadership video produced with communication coach Alexander Lyon, his co-author of Positive Communication for Leaders: Proven Strategies for Inspiring Unity and Effecting Change.
Why listening matters in laboratory leadership
Listening in the workplace is not passive—it is a leadership skill with real, practical benefits. As Lyon explained, “The higher up leaders go in any organization, the more time they spend listening. Executives spend twice as much time listening compared to the average employee.”
Mirivel emphasized that listening helps leaders get closer to the realities of day-to-day work. “Leaders who listen well and deeply get to know their people better,” he said. Listening also allows leaders to identify problems before they escalate, gather input on effective solutions, and resolve issues along the way. “If you can listen a little bit more deeply, you can avoid these hard talks because you’re managing problems all along the way.”
The benefits of deep listening in lab environments
Listening provides advantages that go beyond personal rapport. Leaders who commit to deep listening:
- Build stronger relationships with staff
- Detect early signs of burnout or conflict
- Gather more effective solutions to complex problems
- Prevent minor issues from becoming crises
In laboratory settings where accuracy and collaboration are paramount, these skills directly support both scientific outcomes and staff well-being.
Three key behaviors of effective listening for lab managers
Mirivel and Lyon describe deep listening as going beyond superficial gestures or “fake listening.” Instead, deep listening requires deliberate focus on three key behaviors:
1. Be fully present
Deep listeners give their undivided attention. “Deep listeners put their phones away. They reduce all distractions. They literally lean their bodies in and they listen with their eyes, not just their ears,” Mirivel said. This presence makes people feel valued. “A fully present listener makes you feel like you’re the most important person in the world at that moment.”
2. Remain open
Listening with openness means balancing your own perspective with a willingness to hear others. “Openness is all about maintaining a really fine, delicate balance between holding onto your own perspective and being profoundly open to the perspective of others,” Mirivel explained.
3. Show empathy
Empathy involves stepping into another person’s world and confirming their experience. Mirivel described how effective listeners keep their responses simple: “I hear you,” “Makes sense,” or “I see what you mean.” These low-key replies keep the focus on the speaker. “Great listeners are not eager to take their own big talking turn… they’re entirely focused on understanding you and understanding your world,” he said.
How lab leaders can practice listening every day
Listening is a skill that grows with intentional practice. Lab managers can start small, building habits that reinforce trust and psychological safety:
- Commit to presence: Eliminate distractions in one-on-one conversations and give your full attention
- Stay open to new perspectives: Even when you disagree, invite input that can spark innovation and problem-solving
- Use empathetic responses: Confirm what you hear with brief, supportive phrases that show you understand
- Make listening a leadership habit: Treat listening as an essential responsibility, not an afterthought
“Recognize that listening is a leadership responsibility,” Mirivel emphasized. “Deep listening means that you become fully present, that you become fully open, and that you become empathetic.”
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Listening as a foundation for psychological safety in labs
Psychological safety—the belief that it is safe to speak up, admit mistakes, and share new ideas—depends heavily on how leaders listen. By showing presence, openness, and empathy, lab managers create the conditions where staff feel comfortable raising concerns or contributing perspectives that might otherwise go unheard.
The bottom line: building stronger lab culture through listening
In scientific environments, where precision and accountability are non-negotiable, listening is more than good manners—it is a core leadership practice. By committing to deep listening, lab managers can strengthen team culture, identify problems early, and create an environment of trust and collaboration.
