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

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 Moving Beyond Bikini Medicine: Bridging Health Care Gaps with Listening and Science to Transform Women’s Health show art Moving Beyond Bikini Medicine: Bridging Health Care Gaps with Listening and Science to Transform Women’s Health

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

We all appreciate the dedication of healthcare providers. Yet, with only 10-minute appointments and research historically centered on men, the quality of care is impacted. Every day, countless women leave doctor’s offices feeling unheard, dismissed, or worse—misdiagnosed. Their symptoms are downplayed, their concerns minimized—especially with conditions like menopause and endometriosis, which often take years to diagnose. This doesn’t just affect women; it impacts their families and the men who support them. But what if there were a better way? In this episode of the listening...

info_outline Quiet Works, Making Silence The Secret Ingredient of the Workday with Joe McCormack show art Quiet Works, Making Silence The Secret Ingredient of the Workday with Joe McCormack

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

What if too much collaboration can hinder productivity?   Our guest, author Joe McCormack, a communication expert who helps professionals navigate information overload, shares practical tips on how to balance collaboration with the essential quiet time needed for deep thinking. Joe McCormack is a communication expert who helps professionals navigate information overload.  As an entrepreneur, he founded Sheffield Company and The BRIEF Lab, specializing in concise communication and leadership development. He's the author of "Brief," "Noise," and "Quiet Works," which address the...

info_outline The Art of Asking Questions: Enhancing Communication Through Listening show art The Art of Asking Questions: Enhancing Communication Through Listening

listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Curious about the art of asking questions? Mike discusses the importance of crafting the right questions and how they can lead to deeper connections. Dr. Michael W. Purdy (PhD Ohio University) is co–editor with Deborah Borisoff (NYU) of Listening in Everyday Life: A Personal and Professional Approach (2nd ed). He has authored articles for the International Journal of Listening, (including two articles in 2015). His publications include: Listening and Qualitative Research, in Listening and Human Communication in the 21st Century; Listening and the Non–Technologized Self in Cultura De...

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: