listening SUPERPOWER podcast

About listening SUPERPOWER podcast

Your Listening SUPERPOWER podcast will help become a more impactful communicator by listening effectively and in surprising ways. Join your host and listening catalyst Raquel Ark to be inspired by listening researchers and professionals as we share tips and stories on how to work smarter and feel better by growing our listening superpower together. Your listening SUPERPOWER podcast is much more than listening. It's practical knowledge and inspiration that you can use right away. If you're the kind of person who wants to have a positive impact, have less communication challenges, get things done and make our world a better place, listen and follow the listening SUPERPOWER podcast. Build your toolbox for your everyday interactions. Learning how to listen more effectively will help others listen to you better. Improve work productivity and time management. Less misunderstandings. Break bad communication habits. Communicate effectively. Have more voice. Engage your team and influence stakeholders. Facilitate difficult conversations better. Enhance relationships. Discover needs and interests. Feel more belonging. Build trust and connection. Take meaningful action. Increase your success and wellbeing.

Publisher

Raquel Ark

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Mar 2019

Latest episode

24 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

1 of 109 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   24 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Power of Listening to Untangle Complex Challenges with Reuven Shelef

   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 understanding of human behavior. His method was developed from his own life experiences, blending business, engineering, management consulting, and personal growth. As a Certified Salesforce Consulting Partner with 30+ years of Management Consulting experience, Reuven’s precise approach and authentic leadership have made him a trusted advisor who drives meaningful change. In this episode, Reuven clarifies what a complex challenge is and how to map out what seems overwhelming to a clear picture that can lead to clearly defining next steps. He shares his  journey from engineering to personal development, highlighting the importance of listening to oneself and others. He explains how focusing on root causes instead of symptoms leads to better solutions and explores how relationships fuel personal and professional growth. This episode offers valuable insights on empathy, self-awareness, and navigating life’s complexities. On listening: “Part of my listening is to listen to their listening. Are they actually listening? And what are they listening to?” - Reuven Shelef SUPERPOWER Notes: 01:03 - The Power of Listening: Reuven recalls learning to listen consciously during his Air Force tests. 05:35 - Complex vs. Simple Challenges: He explains complex challenges involve feeling stuck without clear solutions. 10:30 - Listening to Their Listening: Reuven highlights reading others’ non-verbal cues to improve communication. 12:57 - Personal Growth Journey: He shares transitioning from a technical mindset to exploring identity and purpose. 19:07 - Applying Business Tools Personally: Reuven used professional methods like mapping to navigate personal crises. 20:32 - Untangling Complex Challenges: He outlines his approach to identifying root causes over symptoms. 25:10 - Cross-Pollinating Problem-Solving: Reuven combines engineering logic with emotional perspectives. 29:21- Unique Consulting Role: He blends technical and personal insights for a distinct coaching style. 34:40 - Discovering Self and Connection: Understanding oneself is key to meaningful relationships. 36:06  - Relationships and Growth: Reuven notes interpersonal dynamics drive many personal growth challenges. 40:08 - Free Short Calls: Listeners can book free calls with Reuven to discuss and untangle challenges. Key Takeaways: on the power of listening: “Listening to silence... it's fascinating to be alone and listen to silence.” - Reuven Shelef on listening and self-awareness: “Sometimes I’ll stop and I say, 'I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening.' It took me some time and training to get over the “looking bad” issue.” - Reuven Shelef on relationships: “There is very little that can be accomplished alone. There are times to be alone. That's also part of being comfortable in your own skin.” - Reuven Shelef Connect with Reuven Shelef: Website: www.reuvenshelef.com Book a call: MeetReuven.com Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/reuvenshelef/ Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn Substack listening ALCHEMY newsletter Podcast email: listeningsuperpower@gmail.com

2. 

   25 Sept 2025

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

   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 listening SUPERPOWER podcast, Jade and host Raquel Ark explore the transformative power of listening. Jade emphasizes what it means to “listen to believe.” She shares how vulnerability can dissolve barriers in the business context, how common ground can shift conflicts into collaboration, and how organizations carry a “corporate soul” that shapes behavior and culture. Jade also highlights listening to self care and the emerging rest rebellion among Black women and the healing power of community care and storytelling. This episode is a powerful reflection on empathy, resilience, and creating spaces where truth and connection can thrive. Enjoy listening to this episode of the listening SUPERPOWER podcast and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the listening SUPERPOWER podcast so that we can reach more people to be part of the listening movement. On taking action: “Listening to believe means coming in with the understanding that the person talking to you is telling the truth about their experience.” — Jade Singleton SUPERPOWER Notes: 00:01:37 – Active vs Passive Listening: Jade explains that active listening requires full engagement, focusing on understanding and responding thoughtfully, unlike passive listening, which is more about merely hearing words without deeper connection. 00:04:06 – Listening to Believe: The key to authentic empathy is suspending judgment and truly believing others’ experiences as their truth, creating a grounded foundation for communication. 00:09:37 – Building Community through Vulnerability: Jade shares how vulnerability exercises create shared experiences that dissolve barriers and foster genuine connection in factions with opposing views. 00:12:14 – Common Ground in Conflict Resolution: Conflict can be transformed when teams find tangible shared goals or narratives, helping to shift perspectives from opposition to collaboration. 00:16:06 – Corporate Soul and Shared Identity: Organizations hold narratives that influence individual behavior; understanding this soul or identity helps navigate conflicts and build stronger teams. 00:19:23 – Rest Rebellion Among Black Women: An emerging quiet movement where Black women consent to prioritize rest, healing, and self-care as resistance against systemic exhaustion. 00:22:38 – Community Healing and Self-Focus: Emphasizes the importance of co-regulation and community care as collective coping mechanisms during sociopolitical and personal stress. 00:27:21 – Leaving for Mental Well-Being: Stories of women choosing to leave toxic environments or geographic locations to preserve identity and mental health. 00:30:16 – Encouragement Through Community Voice: How sharing stories within communities fosters empowerment, encouragement, and collective strength. Key Takeaways: On the power of listening: “Listening is not just about hearing words; it’s about understanding the truth behind them.” — Jade Singleton On community building: “When we listen deeply, we create spaces for healing and connection.” — Jade Singleton On self-care: “It’s okay to prioritize your well-being; it’s essential for personal and collective growth.” — Jade Singleton Notes/Mentions: Documentary: "92: The Rest Rebellion No One Saw Coming" focusing on the experiences of Black women reclaiming their time and energy. Connect with Jade Singleton: Website: www.ikoni.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jade-singleton-8b2830110 Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn Substack listening ALCHEMY newsletter Podcast email: listeningsuperpower@gmail.com

3. 

   31 Aug 2025

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

   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 everyone’s voice to be heard—can overhaul team communication and unlock untapped commercial and human potential. Learn why “the hardest listening role is the speaker,” how pre-meeting listening can boost confidence, and how vivid metaphors can make your message unforgettable. Whether you lead meetings, manage teams, or want to deepen your listening practice, Oscar provides practical tools and data-driven strategies to elevate your communication for lasting impact. On taking action: "The difference between hearing and listening is action." -- Oscar Trimboli SUPERPOWER Notes: 02:00 — Stroke recovery communication breakthrough—Oscar’s father’s stroke taught him “you can communicate very effectively with somebody who can’t speak” using hand squeezes and positioning techniques that forced medical staff to engage the patient directly 04:42 — Taking responsibility through direct engagement: Moving close to his father’s face so medical professionals had to “look at him when they ask a question” helped his father “take responsibility for his recovery” 08:30 – From Microsoft vision to reality: Fifteen years after his boss said “if you could code how you listen, you could change the world,” Oscar now uses AI to analyze meeting dynamics and participation patterns 12:15 –The 80% share of voice problem: Data revealed few participants dominated 80% of speaking time until a different facilitator in week six dramatically increased participation and meeting effectiveness 18:20 – Halving meeting time through inclusion: Better facilitation that included everyone reduced meetings from “90 minutes weekly” to “45 minutes fortnightly” because “people feel heard and get buy-in” 22:45 – Eight words or less rule: Questions of “eight words or less had higher impact” and create “collective understanding” rather than individual comprehension 25:30 –The three-question test: Before asking: “write it down, count words, then ask: is this for me, them, or the group?” Group questions have highest impact 28:15 – Clarifying questions transform meetings:Only “one or two participants” ask clarifying questions consistently, but their presence helps “questions get better and meetings get shorter” 35:45 – Listen before the meeting: Contact executive assistants beforehand to understand question patterns and presentation preferences for high-stakes meetings 42:20 – Metaphors beat numbers:Use compelling metaphors like “budget as jazz band” because “they remember the metaphor before the numbers” 50:30 – The quiet CFO’s transformation: A shy CFO’s single word “snake” (about shedding old systems) helped transform company growth from 32% to 170% when leadership finally listened Key Takeaways: On the universal listening gap: "We are not good listeners just because we need to be." -- Oscar Trimboli On the speaker's challenge: "The hardest listening role is the person currently speaking." -- Oscar Trimboli On meeting effectiveness: "If you want fewer meetings and shorter ones, when you do have them, focus on inclusive facilitation that ensures everyone is heard.” -- Oscar Trimboli On organizational potential: "My question to you listening is who are you ignoring in your organization that is holding you back from massive untapped potential commercially and human potential as well?" -- Oscar Trimboli On taking action: "The difference between hearing and listening is action." -- Oscar Trimboli Notes/Mentions: Listening Quiz: listeningquiz.com - Discover what gets in your way of listening effectively (35,000+ people have taken it) Tools mentioned: TalkTime and EqualTime (meeting analytics add-ons) Google Meets, Zoom, Microsoft Teams listening add-ons Equal Time (Munich-based company for gender and participation analytics) Books referenced: "What Doctors Say and What Patients Hear" by Dr. Danielle Offrey Oscar's third book on listening (influenced by his father's stroke experience) Listening measurement tools: Talk-to-listen ratios, question analysis, clarifying question tracking, curiosity index Connect with Oscar Trimboli www.oscartrimboli.com LinkedIn Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn Substack listening ALCHEMY newsletter Podcast email: listeningsuperpower@gmail.com

Inside a recent episode

The Power of Listening to Untangle Complex Challenges with Reuven Shelef

Published 24 Oct 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Okay, so it's many times in my work with people... Well, the essence of the methodology is to take things apart and build them back in a different context. So as we take things apart, we recategorize them in various ways. And many times people find during the work that actually what they thought the problem is, is not at all the problem. So we do a lot of root cause analysis and looking at symptoms. Typically people come up with symptoms and think that they're the problems but they're only symptoms so we go in and trail to find the root causes and many times the root causes in a different area of life even someone might be really frustrated at work considering to leave And we look at the whole picture, we map stuff and we discover that they're actually not happy at home and that's influencing what's going on at work and vice versa. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Spotify

4.8 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 47 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

64

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

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