What happens when managers listen

I'm reading Carl Rogers' 'On Becoming a Person' at the moment. It's a remarkably readable, human and tender book collated from a number of writings and lectures.

In one piece Rogers outlines what he has observed from his years of counselling practice, and amongst them is the observation that the more honest he is, the more present, the more he is 'himself', the more he is able to help his clients.

If it works in counselling, does it not work in management? What about just listening to understand and if you're distracted by the current management agenda, just saying so without trying to influence what the other person is saying.

Worth an experiment.