A World of Difference

A World of Difference


Why Listening to Understand is a Cornerstone of Leadership and Diplomacy with Lori Adams-Brown

March 20, 2024

If you're feeling like you're struggling to truly connect with others and make a significant impact as a leader, then you are not alone! The traditional approach of just speaking and not truly understanding others may not be yielding the results you desire. Instead of the impactful leadership and positive change you seek, you might be experiencing a lack of meaningful connections and a sense of frustration in your efforts to influence others.


In this episode, you will be able to:

  • Mastering the art of active listening to understand and connect with others on a deeper level.
  • Enhancing leadership skills through powerful and effective communication strategies.
  • Unveiling the impact of body language on successful and impactful global communication.
  • Implementing proven strategies to propel global podcast growth and reach a wider audience.
  • Harnessing the transformative power of empathy to drive positive social change on a global scale.

Listening to understand is not just a kindness, but it's actually a superpower for you as a leader, as someone with influence.
- Lori Adams-Brown


Mastering the Art of Active Listening: Truly successful communication revolves around the power of active listening. This skill requires patience, humility, and a readiness to prioritize the narrative of others over personal agendas. When leveraged effectively, active listening can foster fruitful dialogues that enable empathy, mutual understanding, and growth.


The resources mentioned in this episode are:

  • Write down a call to action from this podcast and add it as your "plus one" for today. This could be a specific action or behavior that you want to implement based on what you've learned.
  • Tell someone else about your call to action from this podcast. Sharing it with someone else increases the likelihood of following through.
  • Message the host on social media and share what your call to action was from this podcast. This can help in being accountable and receiving feedback or encouragement.
  • Invest in yourself as a leader and influencer by learning how to listen to understand better. This could involve seeking out resources, courses, or workshops on active listening and empathy.
  • Keep making a difference wherever you are by actively practicing intentional, empathetic, and open-minded listening in your daily interactions.


When we hear each other and truly listen to understand, with our differences, we make better decisions, we make greater impact on all the things we're trying to make better in the world. - Lori Adams-Brown


Enhancing Leadership Through Communication: How one communicates as a leader significantly impacts their effectiveness. Central to this is the ability to listen with intent, as this enables better understanding of diverse perspectives and fosters empathetic collaborations. In honing this skill, leaders can transform their teams and communities, paving the way for progressive dialogue and change.


The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:01 - Introduction to the Power of Listening


00:02:05 - The Skill of Listening to Understand


00:06:59 - The Impact of Listening to Understand


00:10:05 - The Importance of Body Language in Communication


00:13:15 - The Power of Listening to Understand


00:14:07 - Imagine the Impact of Listening to Understand


00:15:34 - Harnessing the Superpower of Listening to Understand


00:15:55 - Taking Action and Making a Difference


00:16:54 - Making the World a Better Place

Imagine if our world leaders, our policymakers, and imagine our influencers embracing the superpower of listening to understand.

- Lori Adams-Brown


Impact of Body Language: Communication transcends the use of verbal language, with body language accounting for a significant part of how messages are exchanged. Nuanced gestures, postures, and facial expressions often speak louder than words, providing insights into one's emotions and intentions. This underscores the need for leaders to be mindful of their body language to ensure constructive, empathetic communication.


Timestamped summary of this episode:

00:00:01 - Introduction to the Power of Listening

Lori introduces the podcast episode and emphasizes the importance of listening to understand in shaping our world and making a positive impact.


00:02:05 - The Skill of Listening to Understand

Lori delves into the skill of listening to understand and highlights the importance of paying attention in a world filled with distractions. She emphasizes the need to go beyond simply hearing words and to listen for facts, feelings, and values.


00:06:59 - The Impact of Listening to Understand

Lori discusses how listening to understand can lead to empathizing, suspending judgment, and asking clarifying questions. She emphasizes the importance of deeper relationships and making better decisions through truly listening and understanding others.


00:10:05 - The Importance of Body Language in Communication

Lori explores the significance of body language in communication, pointing out that it accounts for 55% of how we communicate. She highlights the complexities of navigating different cultures and the role of body language in diplomacy and effective leadership.


00:13:15 - The Power of Listening to Understand

Lori discusses how effective listening can lead to empathy, collaboration, and growth in leadership, diplomacy, and social change.


00:14:07 - Imagine the Impact of Listening to Understand

Lori emphasizes the transformative impact of listening to understand in global conflicts, social justice, climate change, and workplace environments.


00:15:34 - Harnessing the Superpower of Listening to Understand

Lori encourages listeners to cultivate the superpower of listening to understand and highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in solving global problems.


00:15:55 - Taking Action and Making a Difference

Lori motivates listeners to take action by writing down their call to action, sharing it with others, and investing in themselves as leaders and influencers.


00:16:54 - Making the World a Better Place

Lori concludes by thanking global listeners for joining the journey of exploration and emphasizes the importance of listening with intention, empathy, and an open mind for making a difference in the world.

For those who are different and want to make a difference.