How to Be a Better Leader by Listening More & Leading With Heart Featuring Payman Lorenzo

S6:E88

After nearly 450 conversations on his Leaders With a Heart podcast, Payman Lorenzo has heard extraordinary stories of leadership, adversity, failure, resilience, and reinvention. But one of his most important lessons is surprisingly basic:

Listen. Really listen.

Queue up this episode of Small Business Stories for a deeply human conversation about leadership, boundaries, assumptions, patience, setbacks, and why making another person feel seen and heard may be one of the most consequential things a leader can do.

If people don't trust that you're listening, they stop telling you what you need to hear.

If we assign motives before understanding someone's circumstances, we may react to an intention that never existed.

And if leadership is built around our interpretation rather than another person's actual experience, even good intentions can produce the wrong impact.

Loralyn Mears, PhD, aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here.

👤 Guest Payman Lorenzo

Host, Leaders With a Heart

Leadership, podcasting, human connection, and entrepreneurship

⚠️ Core Problems Discussed • Listening to respond rather than listening to understand