Why Listening Makes You Smarter

When you're surrounded by confident opinions, prioritising your ability to listen and ask good questions is key . . .

It helps you learn more, connect better, and avoid becoming that person – you know the one – who talks more than they know. If you don't? You risk mistaking volume for value, and confidence for competence.

This week we're looking at why we talk too much about things we don’t fully understand – and how swapping certainty for curiosity is the smarter move. This week’s top tip? Listen more, speak less, and learn from every conversation – especially the ones that challenge your assumptions.

Why does it matter? Because the loudest person in the room isn’t always the wisest – but the quietest one might just be the one who's thinking the most.

Sup Up Your Beer

A few weeks ago, I had a cracking afternoon touring some of the finest pubs in south London. My mate John Berkoski – yes, he of the Berkoski Reflex fame – was our tour guide.

He knows these places like the back of his hand. Keith and I tagged along and let John lead us from pub to pub across Dulwich and Peckham, eventually winding up at the excellent Brick Brewery – conveniently located right next to Peckham Rye tube, for those who like their craft beer with a side of transport efficiency.

There’s something brilliant about pubs, isn’t there? Different sizes, different vibes, all with their own quirks. But there's one thing they all have in common.

Every pub has that guy.

You know the one. Sat at the end of the bar. Loud, confident. Knows what’s wrong with the economy, how to fix the NHS, and exactly why your football team are going nowhere this season.

He’s got an answer for everything, usually whether you’ve asked for it or not.

He’s not interested in questions – only statements. Big ones. Delivered with the kind of certainty that makes you think: has he actually read anything about this, or did he just hear it from another bloke in another pub?

Can't Explain

This is where comedian Jimmy Carr drops an absolute gem. He says:

“Every expert I’ve ever met has always said, ‘Well, it’s complicated.’ And every person I’ve met with an opinion in a pub has said, ‘It’s simple, let me explain . . .’”

It’s funny because it’s true. Proper experts? They’re cautious. Careful. They’ve seen the grey areas. The nuance. The trade-offs. They’ve done the hard yards and realised just how much they don’t know. That’s why they talk in terms like ‘it depends’ or ‘it’s more complex than that.’

But your mate with a pint of Guinness and a half-baked theory about world affairs? He’s got zero doubt. None. He’s solved the world’s problems between crisps.

The More I Know, The Less I Understand

Enter the Dunning–Kruger effect.

Look it up in the dictionary and there isn't an actual description, just a photo of Donald Trump.

In short the Dunning-Kruger effect is what happens when someone’s confidence outstrips their competence.

They know so little about a subject that they don’t even realise how little they know. These people don’t improve because they think what they know is all there is to know. It’s not just ignorance – it’s ignorance of their own ignorance.

It’s self-delusion, basically. You assume you’re smashing it when in reality, you’re nowhere near the mark.

You can’t recognise expertise in others because you can’t yet see the gaps in your own knowledge.

To quote Jimmy again:

“Essentially, you’re a dummy who thinks you’re super smart, while at the same time assuming smart people are dummies.”

Ouch. But also – fair.

It's how some of the most enduring comedy double acts work. Laurel and Hardy, Del Boy and Rodney. The 'clever' one is really still an idiot.

Enjoy The Silence

So what do we do with this?

Here’s the good news: it’s fixable. The cure for Dunning–Kruger syndrome is simple (ironically): awareness + curiosity.

It starts by catching yourself in those moments when you're about to offer a confident opinion on something you're only vaguely familiar with. Ask yourself:

Do I really understand this, or have I just read a few headlines?

Could I explain this clearly to someone else?

Have I listened to people who do have actual expertise?

And most importantly:

Am I trying to contribute, or just trying to look smart?

The real power comes from asking good questions. From saying, “Tell me more about that,” or “I don’t know enough – what do you think?”

People respect that far more than they do a blag.

Listen Without Prejudice

We massively underestimate the power of listening.

Listening shows humility. It builds trust. It invites collaboration. And it makes you smarter, faster. Because when you listen first, you learn things you didn’t know. And you stop yourself from becoming the person who sounds certain, but is actually clueless.

If you want to stand out in meetings, in conversations, in life – be the person who asks thoughtful questions, not the one who delivers overconfident monologues on topics they skimmed in an article once.

So this week’s top tip? Ask more questions than you answer – especially when you feel most certain.

Ditch the pub bloke persona. Stop assuming you know everything (not least 'cos it's really annoying to those of us who do - lol!) and start seeing every conversation as a chance to learn, not just to speak.

Because the moment you admit you don’t know everything? That’s when you start learning something.