Leadership is all about listening, not just loud speaking
Knowledge exchange becomes powerful only when paired with an authentic connection. The conversations that began in Riyadh and continued in Muscat did more than inspire; they ignited collaborations and shifted mindsets.
Published: 05:10 PM,Oct 14,2025 | EDITED : 09:10 PM,Oct 14,2025
The Successful Management GCC Tour, organised by Media Thought, was more than a series of executive sessions, it was a celebration of purpose, humility, and learning. Over several days in Riyadh and Muscat, ministers, entrepreneurs, and thinkers from across the Gulf and beyond came together to exchange ideas that bridged policy and practice, intellect and inspiration.
In his keynote address titled “Effective Execution and Efficient Resource Management: Best Practices of Successful Management in the Energy Sector,” Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, shared a message that reached far beyond his own sector. “We are much wealthier than we think,” he said, explaining that wealth extends beyond finances to include knowledge, health, relationships and social well-being. He urged leaders to capitalise on what they learn, nurture meaningful connections, and lead through lived experience.
Then came his most resonant insight, one that turned a hall of executives silent with reflection: “We must listen more than we talk, listen to understand, to appreciate, and to collaborate with the genuine intention of solving problems together.”
It was a statement that perfectly captured the evolving definition of leadership in a region embracing both innovation and inclusion.
And then came a moment of deep reflection from international speaker Robin Sharma, author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. With his trademark humility, he told the audience: “Leadership isn’t about a title or a corner office. It’s about impact, influence, and inspiration.”
He spoke of the stories of Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, and a British cyclist who turned a near-fatal accident into a journey of hope, reminding everyone that greatness is not born of comfort but of courage. “Every setback,” Sharma said, “is a doorway to strength if we choose to see it that way.”
Building on that theme, Khalid al Marhun reminded participants that true authority begins with humility. “Leaders must remain committed to their sense of service and maintain an open-door policy,” he said. His call for accessibility and transparency struck a chord in a generation of leaders learning that influence is built not through hierarchy but through trust.
Brigadier Abdulnasser al Abri, Chief of Morale Guidance and Military Protocols at the Office of Chief of Staff, offered a strategic dimension to the conversation. “Before any decision,” he emphasised, “leaders must master the analysis of the situation and current affairs.” In a world where speed often overtakes substance, his reminder underscored the discipline of thinking before acting, the kind of mindfulness that sustains both institutions and individuals.
From the private-sector front, Said al Rashdi, CEO of Bima, illuminated how artificial intelligence can strengthen rather than weaken human connection. “AI helps us listen better,” he said, “it helps organisations communicate with empathy and precision, understanding stakeholders faster and serving them better.” His vision presented technology not as a threat to communication but as its enabler.
Meanwhile, Dr Kamel al Sabahi, Head of the Fintech Program at the College of Banking and Financial Studies, looked to the future. “Fintech will continue to reshape how we do business, make decisions, and build trust,” he stated. His analysis showed how innovation, when anchored in ethics and insight, can redefine entire economies.
These moments, diverse yet united, transformed the GCC Tour on Successful Management into something greater than a conference. It became an ecosystem of shared energy: where the wisdom of ministers met the agility of entrepreneurs, where experience met experimentation, and where listening became the new form of leadership.
By the tour’s conclusion, one realisation stood clear: Knowledge exchange becomes powerful only when paired with an authentic connection. The conversations that began in Riyadh and continued in Muscat did more than inspire; they ignited collaborations and shifted mindsets.
Leadership, as this tour showed, is not defined by the loudest voice but by the most attentive ear. True wealth lies not in accumulation but in appreciation—the appreciation of learning, of people, and of the shared journey toward progress.