What makes for a good listener? Is it simply making yourself into a blank canvas that absorbs whatever is splattered onto it? Or is it more active than that? We know that meditation teachers and therapists are often good listeners, but how can we laypeople hone the art of listening in conversation?

These were some of the questions I had for Brad Listi, who’s conducted over 800 interviews with authors over the years on his wonderfully deep OtherPpl podcast. When I had the honor of being a guest on Brad’s show to promote my book Open, I noticed that he was particularly skilled at both making me feel deeply heard and steering the conversation in a deep direction. 

That talent for listening to others — and the world around him — comes through in his deeply insightful new novel, Be Brief and Tell Them Everything.

I wanted to get his advice on how to be a better listener, particularly as a host. This episode will be particularly helpful for those looking to hone the craft of interviewing but was largely broad and relatable to honing the skill of any sort of listening.