This week I sat down with Bradley James Davies, a best selling author, keynote speaker, and ICF certified executive coach trained at Georgetown University who calls himself a professional listener. Bradley has spent more than two decades in education, wrote School Leadership From A to Z, and once spent a year driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
We talk about next level listening, including the three levels of listening, always solving syndrome, and a technique called mirroring. Bradley explains why asking what beats asking why, and I share a real moment with my son where I wish I could have a replay. We also get into why repair, not harmony, is where trust and safety live. If you want your wife and kids to feel heard, understood, and valued, this one is for you.
Timeline Summary
[0:00] Introduction and the November promo: The Marriage Drift book, a signed Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood, and two free courses
[4:25] Larry welcomes Bradley and asks about his first job out of college, driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in 1997
[7:33] The silent tax of not listening, and why the pain of poor listening is rarely felt in the moment
[9:33] The Boston story: ignoring a warning about low clearance and getting stuck with a 27 foot hot dog
[15:17] Larry introduces Bradley as a best selling author, ICF certified coach, and professional listener
[17:42] The three levels of listening, and the listening stool: ears, eyes, and emotions
[21:12] Why safety and tonality come first when you listen to your wife or your kids
[22:33] Always solving syndrome: why fixing is not what she wants, and what to ask instead
[25:32] Speak less and speak last, and be her ride or die without carrying her through the trenches
[28:07] Mirroring: using their exact words, with an example from a child who says "I hate math"
[34:39] Why "what" beats "why": why questions invite defensiveness and what questions invite sharing
[36:43] Your best self when the milk spills: staying calm and using what questions with your kids
[39:05] Larry's game film: his ten year old left the house without a word, and how he could have responded
[44:31] The power of repair: owning your fear and circling back with your son at bedtime
[48:17] Harmony, disharmony, and repair: why trust and safety live in how we repair
[51:13] Where to find Bradley and his upcoming book, Next Level Listening, coming in 2027
Key Takeaways
Links & Resources
Closing
Bradley's Wienermobile story about the silent tax of not listening stuck with me because it shows how rarely we feel the cost of poor listening in the moment. The game film conversation about my son and the spilled milk reminded me that I can be a better listener by becoming a better man. Pick one moment this week to say "tell me more" to your wife or your kids. Go out and live legendary.