Why Some Leaders Talk Too Much

Have you ever been with a leader who doesn’t give you space to have input?

Do you get bombarded with what he or she says?

Do you get the impression they don’t or can’t listen to you, only to what’s going on in their heads?

Is there no thoughtful pause between their mind and their mouth?

Have you ever wondered why they do that?

After studying these people for decades and having been one of them myself in the past, I offer the following suggestions as to why they do it.

And maybe, hopefully, some of them might just read this blog and act, for themselves and their people.

There are several possible reasons why some leaders talk too much:

1. They feel they must demonstrate their knowledge, to justify their role.
2. They aren’t aware that they are taking all the oxygen, since nobody has told them yet.
3. It is a habit and they lack self-awareness. They’re on automatic and their “Go” button has been hit.
4. They are passionate about the topic and suffer from point 3 above.
5. They don’t have the skill to be precise, succinct, measured and speak with clarity. Instead they launch into a convoluted ‘thinking out loud’ process, trying to cover everything.
6. They have a strong behavioural trait of wanting to deliver detail and fear being wrong in anything, so they say as much as they can to ‘cover all bases’.
7. They may be narcissists and it’s all about them anyway.
8. They truly believe they are the font of all knowledge, at least in the topic at hand (which could be all topics!).

There are more reasons I’m sure.

To overcome these traits and reasons, the over-talkative leader could apply courage, better practice and continued learning, beginning with greater self-awareness.

We can help by letting them know, effectively and respectfully, that they are talking too much and it is damaging their credibility as a leader.

The over-talkative leader could apply the quadrants of ‘observe, ask, listen, reflect’ which is far more powerful than telling, which is only forceful.

We learn nothing when we are telling.

Leaders who don’t learn, won’t lead for long.

What’s been your experience?