The measure of wisdom: Knowing when to speak and when to listen

IN GOVERNANCE, wisdom is often mistaken for eloquence. Yet some of the most powerful moments in leadership are not found in what is said, but in what is withheld. The ability to listen deeply, to discern before speaking, and to know when silence carries more weight than words lies at the heart of ethical stewardship.

- Ngobani Mzizi

The modern boardroom is filled with voices. Strategies are debated, reports are read, and opinions are shared with conviction. But beneath the noise of activity, there is often a missing rhythm: the stillness of reflection. Where many believe that strength in leadership is found in constant articulation, I suggest that it is rather found in the balance between expression and understanding. Wisdom is not in the loudest voice, but in the truest one.

Knowing when to speak and when to listen is a form of governance discipline. It is about timing, tone and intent. To listen is to honour context; to speak is to shape it. One without the other becomes imbalance: silence that avoids responsibility or speech that overpowers reason. The measure of wisdom lies in the harmony between both.

Listening is the beginning of leadership, not the end of it. When leaders listen, they allow complexity to surface.

They invite insight from those closest to the issues and create a culture where truth can be spoken without fear. In doing so, they lead from awareness rather than assumption. Listening, then, is not passive, but a necessary groundwork of discernment.

Dr Reuel Khoza, in his philosophy of Attuned Leadership, describes listening as the art of attunement: being finely tuned to people, purpose and principle. He teaches that effective leaders do not rush to command; they seek first to understand.

They listen to what is said and to what remains unspoken, recognising that empathy precedes wisdom.

In his Ubuntu-inspired view, authority draws legitimacy from moral resonance, not volume. When boards adopt this posture, they move from reaction to reflection, allowing decisions to be informed by understanding rather than impulse.