What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love

We live in a world where everyone’s got something to say.

Scroll your feed, sit through a meeting, or wander into a family BBQ and you’ll find no shortage of opinions. And like the old saying goes - opinions are like a-holes 🤪: everyone’s got one.

We share, we debate, we defend… sometimes so loudly that nobody’s actually hearing anyone else.

And if no one’s listening… what’s the point?

The R.E.A.L. Kind of Love

At the heart of Communicate Powerfully sits the R.E.A.L. checklist - Respectful, Engaging, Assertive, Listening.

This isn’t about agreeing with everyone. It’s about bringing a bit of love (yes, love) back into how we communicate: love as respect, curiosity, and genuine care for the humans in front of us.

Because when you’re listening to understand, rather than waiting for your turn to talk… that’s an act of love.

Mandela’s Magic: The Last One to Talk

Nelson Mandela learned from his father, a tribal leader, to always be the last one to speak.

He’d sit, listen to everyone around the fire, take in all the perspectives, and only then share his own.

That’s not weakness.

That’s self-leadership.

It takes real confidence to hold your opinion lightly, to create space for others, and to stay curious long enough to learn something new.

How to Be the Last One to Talk (and Still Be Heard)

Respectful – Hold space, don’t rush to fill it.

• Pause before you jump in.

• Let people finish, even when you’re itching to respond. Sometimes silence says more than any clever sentence could.

  
  

Engaging – Ask before you answer.

Try:

• “Tell me more about how you see that?”

• “That’s interesting — what makes you say that?”

Assertive – Speak your truth with calm confidence.

Being last doesn’t mean saying nothing. It means responding with intention, not reacting with emotion.

Try: “I hear what you’re saying - and here’s what I’m thinking after listening to you.”

Listening – Listen to understand, not to reply.

• Active listening is about seeking meaning.

• Tune into tone, words, and body language. You’ll catch things you’d normally miss.

Love is a Leadership Skill

The world doesn’t need more noise. It needs more love, in the form of patience, empathy, respect, and the courage to listen first.

When you practise being the last one to talk, you model what R.E.A.L. communication looks like. You show people they matter. You create safety. You lead with intention.

That’s what the world needs right now, a little more R.E.A.L. love, and a lot more leaders who know when to stay quiet.

Your R.E.A.L. Listening Challenge

This summer, choose one conversation, meeting, or environment where you intentionally become the last one to talk.

Your challenge:

• Listen without interrupting

• Ask one curious question before sharing your view

• Notice what shifts — the mood, the ideas, the way people respond

Then ask yourself:

“What changed when I really listened?”

We’re on YouTube!

We’ve just launched the Communicate Powerfully channel - packed with tools, tips, and real-life communication insights. Check it out here.