loader from loading.io

The 15-Second Rule That Transforms Leadership: Why Pausing Beats Advice Every Time with Jonno White

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Release Date: 06/23/2025

The Power of Listening to Untangle Complex Challenges with Reuven Shelef show art The Power of Listening to Untangle Complex Challenges with Reuven Shelef

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all of the challenges that show up at work and at home? And then you feel stuck. This episode of the listening SUPERPOWER podcast will give you a way to get clear and unstuck, and listening plays a key role.  Reuven Shelef is the Founder and CEO of OUT OF THE BOX Consulting and creator of the Untangling Complex Challenges® methodology. With over 30 years of experience in engineering, technology, business transformation, and human dynamics, he helps Fortune 500 companies, startups, and executives solve complex problems by combining sharp logic with deep...

info_outline "The Rest Rebellion No One Saw Coming": Dr. Jade Singleton on Community, Listening to Believe, and the Power of Rest

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Dr. Jade Singleton is a strategic consultant, educator, and entrepreneur dedicated to culture transformation and the well-being of Black women professionals. She is the founder of Johnson Squared Consulting and IKONI Collective, creator of the Sarah Jane Academy™, and producer of the documentary Ninety-Two: The Rest Rebellion No One Saw Coming. With experience as a senior consultant at NASA and advisor to major organizations like Amazon and Uber, she brings deep expertise in strategic DEI work, workplace wellness, and the radical practice of rest as resistance. On this episode of the...

info_outline Who Are You Ignoring? Unlocking Untapped Potential Through Better Listening with Oscar Trimboli show art Who Are You Ignoring? Unlocking Untapped Potential Through Better Listening with Oscar Trimboli

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Oscar Trimboli, renowned listening expert and author, returns with transformative insights from his unique journey of coding listening behaviors into software. Inspired by personal experiences with his father's stroke recovery and extensive research within organizational teams, Oscar reveals how technology and conscious facilitation can dramatically improve listening dynamics, reduce meeting time, and foster authentic participation. In this episode of the listening SUPERPOWER podcast with host Raquel Ark and discover how simple shifts—like asking shorter, clarifying questions and enabling...

info_outline We Are Not Good Listeners Just Because We Need To Be: What Kindergarten Kids Can Teach Adults with Ingrid C. Nordli show art We Are Not Good Listeners Just Because We Need To Be: What Kindergarten Kids Can Teach Adults with Ingrid C. Nordli

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Ingrid Nordli, Associate Professor in Linguistics at the UiT, the Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø. Ingrid has been putting a lot of time into understanding how we develop listening skills. She talks about how young children in kindergarten can be trained to become great listeners using the listening circle. Besides dedicating time to focus on children's listening development, she teaches university students language development, and academic writing. She was on the board of the International Listening Association and continues to be an active member. In this episode, we dive deep into...

info_outline When Silence Speaks: Transforming Turbulent Times Through Deep Listening with Martin Farrell show art When Silence Speaks: Transforming Turbulent Times Through Deep Listening with Martin Farrell

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Too many leaders miss the opportunity to have impact when it truly matters: the transformation that takes place when someone feels genuinely heard. This is especially important during turbulent times. It’s not just about reacting to a crisis, it’s about pausing for a moment to listen deeply. Without it, leaders risk isolation, poor decisions, and missed opportunities. Martin Farrell, crisis coach and bestselling author of “Good Leaders in Turbulent Times: How to Navigate Wild Waters at Work,” reveals how listening becomes a lifejacket for leaders navigating chaos. Drawing on decades of...

info_outline The 15-Second Rule That Transforms Leadership: Why Pausing Beats Advice Every Time with Jonno White show art The 15-Second Rule That Transforms Leadership: Why Pausing Beats Advice Every Time with Jonno White

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

We often believe that great leadership comes from being an exceptional speaker, someone who can command a room and deliver compelling presentations. But what if the real superpower lies in the opposite skill? In this episode of the Listening Superpower podcast, join me in conversation with Jonno White, an Australian leadership coach, podcast host, and author with over four years of podcasting experience and 236 episodes under his belt. Jonno shares his fascinating journey from believing speaking was his greatest strength to discovering that listening is the ultimate leadership tool. Jonno...

info_outline The Art of Listening and The Power of Humor: A Conversation Connecting Life Experiences with Cartoonist Dave Coverly show art The Art of Listening and The Power of Humor: A Conversation Connecting Life Experiences with Cartoonist Dave Coverly

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Imagine a cartoon opening a door to transform a challenging conversation into a productive and meaningful conversation in your team.  In this episode, we explore how listening and observation can engage humor which can shift our mindset and enhance our ability to engage with others meaningfully. Dave Coverly is the award-winning creator of the internationally syndicated cartoon Speed Bump, featured in hundreds of publications including The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and The Globe & Mail. A four-time winner of the National Cartoonists Society’s “Best Newspaper Panel” award,...

info_outline Becoming More Relevant with the Better Listening Method: The Power of Active and Systemic Listening in Media Organizations with Nanna Holst show art Becoming More Relevant with the Better Listening Method: The Power of Active and Systemic Listening in Media Organizations with Nanna Holst

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

 In this episode of the Listening Superpower Podcast, we're joined by Nanna Holst to delve into how the media landscape's evolution, driven by new platforms, shifting consumption, and AI advancements, is swamping audiences with more information, but not necessarily more insight. We discuss how traditional media must transform, using active listening and engagement to stay pertinent as a bridge between the public and those in authority, as outlined in her insightful report. (Link below) Nanna Holst is an experienced journalist, editor and project manager with a demonstrated history of...

info_outline Don’t Interrupt Listening! The power of listening presence to transform conversations with James Cook show art Don’t Interrupt Listening! The power of listening presence to transform conversations with James Cook

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

What if our effort to listen well actually interfered with the power of listening itself? What happens when we let go and allow listening to be about presence, depth, and genuine human connection? In this episode, we’re joined by James Cook, a learning and development specialist in coaching and team development at a large global organization. With 28 years of experience in fast-moving consumer goods—spanning process development, supply chain, business optimization, and leadership—James has spent his career fostering growth and transformation. An ICF- and EMCC-accredited coach, he’s...

info_outline Black History Month: Listening to History to Illuminate the Present with Dr. Ramona Houston show art Black History Month: Listening to History to Illuminate the Present with Dr. Ramona Houston

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Have you ever felt unheard in a conversation?  Or wondered why society seems more divided than ever? Historian and podcast host Ramona Houston joins us to reveal how radical listening can bridge cultural divides, resolve conflicts, and reshape history. Ramona Houston is a U.S. historian specializing in African American and Mexican American history.  As we celebrate Black History Month, Ramona shares her insights on the power of listening and its impact on understanding history and resolving conflicts. In this episode, she highlights the significance of radical listening—truly...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

We often believe that great leadership comes from being an exceptional speaker, someone who can command a room and deliver compelling presentations. But what if the real superpower lies in the opposite skill?

In this episode of the Listening Superpower podcast, join me in conversation with Jonno White, an Australian leadership coach, podcast host, and author with over four years of podcasting experience and 236 episodes under his belt. Jonno shares his fascinating journey from believing speaking was his greatest strength to discovering that listening is the ultimate leadership tool.

Jonno shares his perspective on today's leadership challenges, from retaining younger talent to adapting leadership styles for different generations, and why understanding individual strengths might be more powerful than traditional role-based management.

Whether you're a seasoned leader looking to enhance your people skills or someone just beginning to explore the power of listening, this episode will challenge your assumptions about what makes great communication.

"The number one skill that comes up again and again is the power of listening. I had to unlearn what I learned when I was eight, because speaking was nowhere near as powerful as great listening." -- Jonno White

SUPERPOWER Notes:

01:15 -- From Fear to Overconfidence: Jonno recounts his grade three experience giving a speech about ants, where faking confidence led to success and shaped his belief that speaking was his superpower.

05:30 -- The Coaching Revelation: Jonno shares how he discovered that clients weren't transformed by his advice, but by having space to think through their own thoughts and reach their own conclusions.

10:45 -- The Sherlock Holmes Approach: Jonno's technique of being a detective while listening, paying attention to body language, sighs of relief, and moments of weight in conversations.

12:30 -- Understanding vs. Being Understood: The crucial distinction between listening to understand someone and ensuring they know you understand them—and why paraphrasing is so powerful.

15:20 -- The 15-Second Rule: Jonno's disciplined approach to coaching, counting to 15 seconds before responding and how this technique transforms conversations.

18:45 -- The Valentine's Day Disaster: A humorous story about trying out scripted listening techniques on a romantic date and the importance of genuine connection over mechanical methods.

24:15 -- Modern Leadership Challenges: Jonno identifies three key issues leaders face today: adapting to new revenue generation needs, wellbeing challenges, and retaining staff across generations.

28:00 -- Generational Workplace Dynamics: A breakdown of how different generations respond to workplace demands and why leaders need to understand varying motivations.

31:45 -- Learning from Gen Z Boundaries: How younger generations' approach to boundaries might actually be healthier and what leaders can learn from this perspective.

34:30 -- From Arranger to Individualization: The shift from seeing what needs to be done and finding people to do it, versus seeing people and finding what they could do.

 

Key Takeaways

"People don't feel heard when the person across from them understands them. They feel heard the moment that they understand that the person across from them understands them." -- Jonno White

"I spend most of my time counting in my head because I try to pause for 15 seconds... letting the silence do the heavy lifting." -- Jonno White

"How can we get alongside them and say, I'm here. I'm present. What's going on? You're more important than the deadline." -- Jonno White

"After all these years, I just keep getting reminded more and more that there really is no more important skill for a leader than to listen well." -- Jonno White

 

Connect with Jonno White:

Connect with Raquel Ark: