Over the past 14 months, I’ve immersed myself in the art of salsa dancing. What began as a new way to move and connect with music has since evolved into a profound lesson in listening. As a follower in salsa, I’ve come to recognise the subtleties of deep listening, not just in dance, but in leadership and life. It became clear to me that, like salsa, great leadership is built on trust, attention, and the ability to truly listen—beyond words.
Thank you to all my regular dancing partners, teachers and leads who continue to encourage, support and help me improve each week as I develop further the art, skills and love of salsa dancing. I am grateful to you – you know who you are.
In both dance and leadership, success doesn’t come from speaking or controlling the moment; it comes from the ability to listen, understand, and respond to the rhythm of others. Salsa dancing, I’ve discovered, holds lessons that stretch far beyond the dance floor and into the core of effective leadership.
The connection between salsa and listening
Salsa dancing is a powerful metaphor for listening. As a follower, you must be fully present, giving your attention to your partner and the music, trusting that the next move will reveal itself. The dance unfolds most smoothly when you let go of the urge to anticipate what’s coming and instead focus on responding in the moment. In listening, the same principle applies. When we resist the temptation to plan our responses or judge prematurely, we open ourselves to truly hearing the speaker, allowing their ideas and thoughts to take shape.
This connection between dancing and listening has been one of my greatest revelations. Salsa teaches us to be comfortable in the unknown, to embrace the flow, and to stay connected without interrupting. In doing so, it helps us develop the kind of presence that’s crucial to deep listening—whether with a dance partner or a colleague.
Listening as a dance of trust
Like salsa, listening is a partnership built on trust. As a follower in dance, I trust my leader to guide me through unfamiliar moves, and my role is to listen attentively and respond, not react. In conversations, listeners often serve as the followers, giving space for the speaker (the leader in that moment) to guide the conversation. The ability to remain in this space of active, non-judgemental listening is vital to both personal and professional relationships.
Just as the follower’s role in salsa is not passive but engaged and present, so too is listening. The responsibility lies in being attentive, picking up on subtle cues, and allowing the speaker to fully express their thoughts. Trusting the speaker, much like trusting a dance partner, leads to deeper connection and a more successful “dance” of communication.
Learning to follow without interrupting
In my own journey as a salsa follower, one of the greatest challenges has been resisting the urge to anticipate the leader’s next move. Often, I found myself trying to guess what was coming, which only disrupted the flow of the dance. This mirrors the challenge many of us face in conversations—waiting for our turn to speak or thinking about our response rather than simply listening.
By allowing the leader to fully guide the dance without interruption, I learned the value of patience and presence. The same lesson applies to listening. Conversations thrive when we let the speaker express their thoughts without interference. How often do we, in our eagerness to contribute, interrupt or finish someone’s sentence? True listening involves allowing the speaker to take the lead and shape the conversation without anticipating or steering it.
The power of non-verbal communication
Salsa also taught me the importance of non-verbal communication. As a follower, I rely on physical cues—slight shifts in weight, gentle pressure from the leader’s hand, or a change in rhythm. These non-verbal signals guide the dance as much as the music. Similarly, in conversations, much of our communication is non-verbal. Listening deeply means tuning into the other person’s body language, tone of voice, and pauses.
In leadership, being able to read these cues allows us to respond to what’s unsaid as well as what’s said. By becoming more attuned to non-verbal communication, we can deepen our connections with others and lead with greater empathy and understanding.
Applying salsa’s lessons to leadership
The lessons I’ve learned on the dance floor are directly transferable to leadership. Salsa dancing reinforces three key listening skills: connection, giving attention, and responding without judgement.
- Connection: Just as a dance requires a strong connection between partners, so does effective communication. Leaders need to create an environment where their team feels safe, connected and heard.
- Attention: In salsa, the follower must give their full attention to the leader, much like how leaders should give undivided attention to their team members in conversation.
- Responding without judgement: In salsa, the follower doesn’t critique the leader’s next move; they simply respond. Likewise, in leadership, listening without judgement fosters trust and creativity within teams.
By applying these lessons, leaders can create a culture where everyone feels valued and heard—where the “dance” of communication flows seamlessly.
Balancing lead and follow in conversations
In both salsa and leadership, there’s an important balance between leading and following. Great leaders know when to guide the conversation and when to step back and listen. This balance of power, or harmony, allows for more authentic and creative exchanges. Like in salsa, where the leader initiates but the follower’s role is essential to the flow, conversations thrive when both parties engage fully, sharing control of the dialogue.
As leaders, mastering the art of listening beyond words means recognising the power in giving others the space to lead the conversation. When we listen deeply and non-judgementally, we create a dynamic where ideas flourish, just like a well-executed dance.
To conclude
Salsa dancing has taught me that listening is more than just hearing words—it’s about connection, trust, and presence. The lessons from the dance floor apply directly to leadership and communication. By adopting the principles of salsa—listening with full attention, responding without judgement, and allowing the speaker to lead—we can transform the way we engage with others in our professional and personal lives.
I invite you to reflect: How might you deepen your listening skills, whether on the dance floor or in a leadership role? And how could these skills enhance the way you connect and communicate with others?
If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Simply connect with me on LinkedIn or email me and if you would like to, reach out to explore how we can grow our listening and leadership together.
