On February 26, 2026, James Comey, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, spoke at the Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His presentation was titled “Ethics & Government: Wrestling with Truth and Democracy.”
One passage stood out to us as students and teachers of leadership: the importance of listening. We have condensed his remarks here and invite you to watch the entire event.
“Every leader of any organization sits uphill from the people they lead. All leaders are feared by the people downhill from them to varying degrees. When I became FBI director, I was surprised at just how steep the hill was. The challenge as the leader at the top of that hill is that that slope makes it very, very hard for me to hear the truth, especially about me, for them to tell me when I’m wrong, when I’m confused, when I’m angry, when I’m about to make a mistake. I have to have enough confidence to risk myself by lowering and flattening that hill.
I used to think that there were two states of the world that passed for listening. And I’ve learned through leading and from being married to an amazing person that there’s actually three states of the world. The first state of the world is obviously not listening. That’s silence while you talk. The second state of the world that I thought was listening was silence. So you talk and I actually follow what you’re saying. I’m paying attention. That’s wrong. The third state of the world that is actual listening. And that must be the way a leader at the top of the hill acts is. It’s silence plus I’m listening to your words. following you, plus a weird form of communication. I have to communicate to you with my body, my face, weird sounds that you’re safe. I got you. It’s okay. I want what you have. That’s listening. Even with sounds, that’s listening.”
If you are a leader, or aspire to be one, we recommend you practice listening—starting with Comey’s speech.