When the Pulse Goes Silent: A Leadership and Listening Problem
When I worked for an automotive finance company, one of the most important habits I built was keeping a constant pulse on the business. Not just internal updates—but what customers were saying, what competitors were doing, and how the market was reacting in real time. That awareness often surfaced risks early and, just as importantly, highlighted opportunities leadership couldn’t see from the inside.
So when I stopped being heard recently, I assumed something had changed in the dialogue. It had.
I discovered that #NiravTolia blocked me on #LinkedIn. Whether that action was intentional, delegated, or automated isn’t the point. What matters is that neither he nor his Executive Assistant communicated this internally—or explained why. As a result, the broader team continued operating without context.
That’s where a small issue becomes a structural one. At the same time, the company’s social media settings were adjusted so that public feedback could no longer be posted. For a platform whose stated mission is to connect people—specifically neighbors—this is an alarming contradiction.
Silencing feedback doesn’t remove risk. It delays awareness. This is how snowballs form. Quietly. Incrementally. Until momentum takes over.
What makes this more concerning is the lack of internal awareness across leadership functions. John T. Williams, Head of Investor Relations, and Noah Johnson, Lead Corporate Counsel, both indicated they had not heard of me or could locate my presence—despite months of public, documented engagement tied directly to shareholder and platform concerns.
Meanwhile, Brooke Escala, a Recruiting Coordinator, viewed my profile—marking the ninth internal view.
The irony isn’t lost on me. This isn’t about ego. It’s about organizational listening.
In modern companies, especially consumer-facing platforms like #Nextdoor, leadership doesn’t get to choose whether feedback exists—only whether they see it early or late. Turning off signals doesn’t protect a company. It blinds it.
The strongest organizations I’ve worked with didn’t fear dissent or discomfort. They tracked it, analyzed it, and used it to course-correct before issues became investor questions, customer exits, or public trust failures. If the goal is connection, then leadership must remain connected—to users, to shareholders, and to uncomfortable truths.
Otherwise, the silence isn’t peace. It’s pressure.
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#Leadership #CorporateGovernance #InvestorRelations #CustomerVoice #OrganizationalHealth #Transparency #RiskManagement #SocialPlatforms #NiravTolia #Nextdoor
