Search a title or topic

Over 20 million podcasts, powered by 

Player FM logo
Artwork

Content provided by Kenneth Woodward and Ken Woodward. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Kenneth Woodward and Ken Woodward or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!

Flashlights, Lanterns, and the Way We Listen! | Haru Yamada #62

 
Share
 

Manage episode 524890724 series 3639368
Content provided by Kenneth Woodward and Ken Woodward. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Kenneth Woodward and Ken Woodward or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

"Not being a hundred percent sure all the time is a weird strength." - Haru Yamada

In this episode of Curated Questions, Ken Woodward is in conversation with Dr. Haru Yamada, a sociolinguist, intercultural communication scholar, and author of Kiku: The Japanese Art of Good Listening, to explore what it really means to listen. Haru traces her early understanding of questions back to age four, when she moved from Tokyo to New York and had to use questions as a tool for language, belonging, and survival.

Together, they unpack how culture shapes communication: English often rewards “flashlight” questioning, the precise, content-driven clarity, while Japanese culture tends to favor a “lantern” approach that illuminates context, relationship, and what isn’t said. Haru also shares the harrowing accident that reshaped her understanding of listening as a health practice, linking felt-heard experiences to relational, mental, and even physical well-being.

In a noisy, multitasking world, this conversation reframes listening as an active, life-giving skill, and a compass for navigating each other with empathy.

This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.

Keep questioning!

Episode Notes

00:00 Introduction: Embracing Uncertainty

01:57 Introducing Dr. Haru Yamada

02:23 The Art of Listening: Kiku

03:12 A Life-Altering Accident

03:37 Welcoming Dr. Yamada

04:02 Early Experiences with Questions

04:57 Navigating Cultural Differences

07:28 The Journey of a Third Culture Kid

08:19 Academic Pursuits in Linguistics

10:32 The Strength in Uncertainty

16:04 Questioning Anti-Fragility As A Goal

23:02 Flashlight vs. Lantern: Different Approaches to Questions

26:57 Cultural Context in Business Meetings

28:16 Interpersonal Communication Challenges

32:12 The Importance of Listening

39:51 Personal Anecdotes and Reflections

44:11 The Healing Power of Being Heard

47:42 Reflecting on Past Medical Experiences

48:16 The Evolution of Listening Post-COVID

49:41 Remote Work and Multitasking

52:24 The Impact of Isolation on Communication

54:02 Curated Interactions in the Digital Age

55:34 The Shift in Media Consumption

57:48 The Importance of Visual and Auditory Listening

59:04 Personal Experiences with Hearing Loss

01:00:58 Advancements in Hearing Aid Technology

01:03:20 The Value of Ambiguous Questions

01:04:23 The Fear of Uncertainty in Listening

01:05:05 The Role of Multitasking in Communication

01:07:24 Learning from Students' Unique Needs

01:11:29 The Changing Nature of Academic Inquiry

01:19:23 Better Understanding The Lantern View

01:22:35 Cultural Differences in Language Learning

01:24:52 The Complexity of Bilingualism

01:26:48 The Challenges of Cross-Cultural Communication

01:31:07 Final Reflections and Takeaways

Resources Mentioned

KIKU: The Japanese Art of Good Listening by Dr. Haru Yamada

Lynn Borton at Choose To Be Curious

Jeff Wetzler

Austin K Graff

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The Power of Introverts TED Talk by Susan Cain

Stanford Interpersonal Dynamics Class

Dr. Haru Yamada on LinkedIn

Producer Ben Ford

Beauty Pill

  continue reading

63 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 524890724 series 3639368
Content provided by Kenneth Woodward and Ken Woodward. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Kenneth Woodward and Ken Woodward or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

"Not being a hundred percent sure all the time is a weird strength." - Haru Yamada

In this episode of Curated Questions, Ken Woodward is in conversation with Dr. Haru Yamada, a sociolinguist, intercultural communication scholar, and author of Kiku: The Japanese Art of Good Listening, to explore what it really means to listen. Haru traces her early understanding of questions back to age four, when she moved from Tokyo to New York and had to use questions as a tool for language, belonging, and survival.

Together, they unpack how culture shapes communication: English often rewards “flashlight” questioning, the precise, content-driven clarity, while Japanese culture tends to favor a “lantern” approach that illuminates context, relationship, and what isn’t said. Haru also shares the harrowing accident that reshaped her understanding of listening as a health practice, linking felt-heard experiences to relational, mental, and even physical well-being.

In a noisy, multitasking world, this conversation reframes listening as an active, life-giving skill, and a compass for navigating each other with empathy.

This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.

Keep questioning!

Episode Notes

00:00 Introduction: Embracing Uncertainty

01:57 Introducing Dr. Haru Yamada

02:23 The Art of Listening: Kiku

03:12 A Life-Altering Accident

03:37 Welcoming Dr. Yamada

04:02 Early Experiences with Questions

04:57 Navigating Cultural Differences

07:28 The Journey of a Third Culture Kid

08:19 Academic Pursuits in Linguistics

10:32 The Strength in Uncertainty

16:04 Questioning Anti-Fragility As A Goal

23:02 Flashlight vs. Lantern: Different Approaches to Questions

26:57 Cultural Context in Business Meetings

28:16 Interpersonal Communication Challenges

32:12 The Importance of Listening

39:51 Personal Anecdotes and Reflections

44:11 The Healing Power of Being Heard

47:42 Reflecting on Past Medical Experiences

48:16 The Evolution of Listening Post-COVID

49:41 Remote Work and Multitasking

52:24 The Impact of Isolation on Communication

54:02 Curated Interactions in the Digital Age

55:34 The Shift in Media Consumption

57:48 The Importance of Visual and Auditory Listening

59:04 Personal Experiences with Hearing Loss

01:00:58 Advancements in Hearing Aid Technology

01:03:20 The Value of Ambiguous Questions

01:04:23 The Fear of Uncertainty in Listening

01:05:05 The Role of Multitasking in Communication

01:07:24 Learning from Students' Unique Needs

01:11:29 The Changing Nature of Academic Inquiry

01:19:23 Better Understanding The Lantern View

01:22:35 Cultural Differences in Language Learning

01:24:52 The Complexity of Bilingualism

01:26:48 The Challenges of Cross-Cultural Communication

01:31:07 Final Reflections and Takeaways

Resources Mentioned

KIKU: The Japanese Art of Good Listening by Dr. Haru Yamada

Lynn Borton at Choose To Be Curious

Jeff Wetzler

Austin K Graff

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The Power of Introverts TED Talk by Susan Cain

Stanford Interpersonal Dynamics Class

Dr. Haru Yamada on LinkedIn

Producer Ben Ford

Beauty Pill

  continue reading

63 episodes

All episodes

×
 
Loading …

Welcome to Player FM!

Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.

 

Copyright 2025 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | | Copyright
Listen to this show while you explore
Play