The power of listening: What the US midterms reveal about changing public sentiment
By Tom Scott, Trippant CEO
Has the political mood shifted from disruption to reassurance? Have Democrats found a more human, varied voice? And could listening be one of the most underrated forms of political leadership?
These are three questions worth asking in the wake of the US midterm elections, particularly when comparing the political conversation today with the one that helped Donald Trump secure his emphatic victory two years ago.
Of course, much has changed beyond political messaging. The war in Iran, rising fuel prices, economic uncertainty and growing anxiety about AI have all contributed to a very different public mood. Some of these pressures are beyond any politician’s immediate control, and it would be wrong to underestimate their influence on the result.
But circumstances alone don’t explain how politicians connect with the people they represent.
From disruption to reassurance
In 2024, Trump’s message of disruption, strength and certainty resonated with an electorate frustrated by the status quo. Two years later, the question is whether voters are looking for something different: less certainty about the answers and more reassurance that their concerns are understood.
What’s interesting is the contrast in communication styles.
Democrats appear to have found a broader range of voices and personalities, speaking in different ways but consistently returning to the everyday pressures facing Americans. Republicans, meanwhile, have largely remained anchored to familiar messages of strength, control and conviction.
Neither approach is inherently right or wrong. But effective communication depends on recognising when the mood of your audience has changed.
And perhaps that’s where the most interesting lesson lies.
In WIRED interview this week, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, discussing how his administration engages with different communities, observed:
“It’s not that we have the right answer, it’s just that we’re listening.”
It’s a deceptively simple statement, but one that captures something important about communication in uncertain times.
The role of listening in negotiation and persuasion
Listening doesn’t mean abandoning conviction or pretending to have no answers. It means recognising that credibility begins with understanding people’s experiences, rather than simply telling them what they should think.
Two of my favourite ‘business’ books make a similar argument. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey urges us to “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.” And in Never Split the Difference, former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss demonstrates how tactical empathy and active listening can transform even the most difficult negotiations.
Both recognise something fundamental: whether you’re selling, negotiating or leading, influence begins with understanding the person on the other side of the conversation. Not simply hearing what they say, but understanding what matters to them, why it matters and what might change their perspective.
It’s a principle that feels particularly relevant to the political conversation today. Of course, we shouldn’t mistake an election result for proof that one communication style has prevailed. Economic realities, policy decisions and political circumstances will always matter.
But these midterms raise an interesting question for political and business leaders alike: when people are anxious about the future, is the most powerful message not what you promise to do, but how convincingly you demonstrate that you’ve heard them?
