A decade of 360-degree feedback assessments across hundreds of thousands of leaders shows a clear, measurable link: leaders who score highest on listening drive far stronger outcomes. In a focused sample of 4,219 leaders—each rated by about nine colleagues—those in the top 10% for leadership listening reached the 76th percentile for employee engagement and the 92nd percentile for overall leadership effectiveness.
Top listeners share observable behaviors: they ask open-ended questions, absorb feedback without defensiveness, adapt their actions, and give candid feedback that is accepted. Direct reports of these leaders say they feel better informed, treated more fairly, and more willing to go the extra mile—clear signals that listening translates into measurable performance.
This finding matters as executives demand faster, measurable ROI from AI and automation investments. A global Rimini Street/Censuswide survey found C-suite leaders under heavy pressure to demonstrate outcomes while facing IT talent shortages. Leaders who surface frontline insights through strong leadership listening can improve initiative payback and deliver higher ROI.
Local data from Sonoma County shows why looking beyond headline metrics is crucial: rising graduation rates can mask low proficiency on standardized tests. The same principle applies to leadership metrics—graduation-style numbers can hide whether core capabilities like listening actually drive results.
Key Takeaways
- 360-degree feedback identifies listening as a key predictor of leadership effectiveness.
- Top 10% listeners show markedly higher employee engagement and leadership effectiveness scores.
- Concrete behaviors—asking questions, accepting feedback, and changing course—distinguish high performers.
- Listening supports higher ROI on technology and change initiatives by surfacing frontline insights.
- Organizations must look past headline metrics to measure substantive capabilities like leadership listening.
What the data shows about leadership and measurable outcomes
The research draws on large-scale 360-degree assessments and a targeted analytic sample of 4,219 leaders to connect listening with measurable outcomes. Rater averages came from an average of nine raters per leader, covering managers, peers, direct reports, and others. The listening measurement methodology focused on observable listening behaviors rather than self-report, creating a reliable foundation for linking scores to team results.
Overview of the research sample and methodology
The study used multi-source ratings from 360-degree assessments collected over a decade. The sample size 4,219 leaders offered enough variation to compare engagement percentiles and leadership effectiveness percentile across profiles. Analysts prioritized rater averages and behavior-based items like time spent understanding others and non-defensive reception of feedback.
The design treated individual listening scores as predictors of team outcomes. That enabled stronger claims about causality by linking leader-level listening with shifts in engagement percentiles and leadership effectiveness percentile at the team level.
Key statistical patterns in listening and performance
Leaders in the top 10% listeners reached the 76th engagement percentiles and the 92nd leadership effectiveness percentile. Those gaps are large compared with peers and highlight the payoff from observable listening behaviors.
Rater averages and distributional analysis made it clear that small moves in core behaviors produce outsized percentile gains. The pattern held even after controlling for role and tenure, which strengthens confidence in the measurement approach.
Demographic and hierarchical differences in effectiveness
The data revealed a leadership hierarchy listening decline from individual contributors to top managers. Percentiles fell from the high 50s for individual contributors to the high 30s for senior leaders. Age patterns listening showed a peak in the 30s, weaker scores for those under 30 and a decline for older cohorts.
Gender differences listening were modest but measurable, with male leaders rated slightly higher than female leaders on average. The gap does not erase the broader pattern: leaders who most need listening for strategy and change tend to display it less.
performance data leader
Traditional leader scorecards focus on revenue, costs, turnover, and customer satisfaction. New evidence reframes the performance data leader as someone whose main differentiator is listening. This shift centers behavioral metrics over status indicators to surface measurable outcomes that matter to business and education alike.
Identifying the unexpected leader in performance metrics
Observable listening behaviors mark the unexpected performance leader: time spent understanding concerns, non-defensiveness, open-ended questions, willingness to change, and feedback that is accepted. These behaviors correlate with higher engagement lift and stronger leadership effectiveness across teams.
Data-driven organizational network analysis and unified tech-stack metrics make performance data leader identification practical for HR and operations teams. For a detailed method on measuring those signals, see this measurement approach.
Why listening-centered leaders outperform on ROI and engagement
Listening acts as a force multiplier. It speeds feedback loops, builds trust, and raises informedness and perceived fairness among direct reports. Those gains translate to measurable payback through improved productivity and retention.
Executives track listening ROI by linking engagement lift to outcome metrics. When frontline insights shape low-maintenance improvements, payback horizons shorten and investment in AI transformation looks more attainable despite talent shortages and heavy ERP maintenance burdens.
Implications for C-suite priorities and technology-driven transformation
C-suite priorities now include translating frontline feedback into concrete AI and automation workstreams. Leaders who listen help redirect time spent on ERP maintenance toward higher-value AI transformation projects.
With pervasive talent shortages and rising expectations for measurable outcomes, listening-centered leadership helps firms identify pragmatic efficiencies. The result is clearer measurable payback and stronger alignment between strategy and execution.
How organizations can leverage the findings to boost outcomes
Start by building a focused leader listening training program that teaches concrete skills: ask open-ended questions, accept suggestions without defensiveness, show willingness to change, and give feedback that’s candid and constructive. These behaviors are teachable and measurable. Use repeated 360-degree feedback at scale to track listening effectiveness percentiles alongside engagement and leadership effectiveness metrics. Benchmarks from the research — for example, top listeners showing markedly higher engagement and effectiveness percentiles — give clear targets for improvement.
Translate feedback into transparent, comparable dashboards so stakeholders see progress. The Sonoma County education example shows how simple, digestible reporting helps families and leaders align on priorities. In business, create executive dashboards that surface frontline concerns, publish progress against listening KPIs, and reward leaders who act on feedback. Public reporting of small wins increases perceived fairness and builds momentum for broader culture change.
Protect capacity to act on insights by prioritizing retention and upskilling. Rimini Street’s findings remind leaders that C-suite pressure for measurable ROI coincides with talent shortages and diverted time. Reallocate hours saved through lower system maintenance or outsourcing toward training, hiring analytics and change experts, and funding AI/automation projects that frontline listening flags as high ROI. Tie listening KPIs to promotion and development decisions to sustain improvement.
Finally, make the case for measurable payback. Use 360-degree feedback at scale to link listening gains to retention and upskilling outcomes, and report those shifts in executive dashboards for boards and investors. When listening improvements are mapped to engagement and leadership effectiveness percentiles, organizations can validate development spend, reduce churn, and accelerate value from digital and workforce investments.
