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“Adolescence” is a four-part series by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, directed by Philip Barantini. It has been available on Netflix since 13 March 2025. Each episode is filmed in a single take. 13-year-old Jamie Miller is suspected of having killed a girl from his school. The story and all the characters are fictional. The father, Eddie Miller, is also at the centre. He can be used to illustrate the Quality of Listening.
The morning when everything is different
Situation
The police arrest Jamie in the family home. Eddie accompanies his son to the station and sits next to him during the interview. There he sees footage that shows what Jamie did.
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Eddie is convinced that he knows his son. But closeness is no substitute for listening. Leaders, too, often believe they know their team and are then surprised by a resignation or a conflict.
Signals that adults do not read
Situation
The investigators visit Jamie’s school. Only there do they learn that comments and emojis on Instagram were meant as mockery. The adults had not understood this language.
Link to the quality
Listening also means learning other people’s language. Those who only know their own channels miss what matters. Leaders should ask where their people really talk and what is meant there.
Those who listen learn more
Situation
Seven months later, the psychologist Briony Ariston talks to Jamie. She asks questions and lets him talk. This brings his image of women and his vulnerability into view. The conversation visibly takes its toll on her.
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The scene shows what patient listening achieves. It brings to light what nobody has said out loud in everyday life. Such conversations take strength, and here they come too late. Leaders can have them while there is still something to change.
The parents’ question
Situation
One year after the crime, it is Eddie’s 50th birthday. On the phone, Jamie announces that he will plead guilty. Eddie and his wife Manda ask themselves what they overlooked. They think of the many hours Jamie spent at the computer. In the end, Eddie sits in Jamie’s room and apologises.
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The parents do not dodge their responsibility. The series does not condemn them and yet asks a clear question. Being present is not enough. Those who bear responsibility for people must want to know what is on their minds.
Key takeaways
Key lessons
- Do not rely on already knowing your people.
- Learn the language and the channels they use to talk to each other.
- Ask when someone withdraws.
- Make time for conversations before an occasion forces you to.
- Take responsibility for what you failed to hear.
Summary
“Adolescence” tells, with great care, the story of a family that understands too late. The series does not look for easy culprits. It shows how much adults can fail to hear even though they are there. The same applies to leaders: listening is a task for every day.