182. Mike O’Krent: Curiosity, Conversation, And Mastering The Art Of Listening

“To get to that emotion, to get to that connection that I think we all crave, you have to be a good listener.” 

Humans have been connecting through stories since time immemorial. There’s something about stories that hook us in, build meaningful connection, and even leave us forever changed. 

This episode’s guest has been extracting and telling other people’s life stories for decades. Mike O’Krent’s journey started in 1996 when he spent four years interviewing Holocaust survivors for Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. [Now the USC Shoah Foundation.]  

This life-changing experience inspired Mike to master the art of listening - honing his interviewing skills to bring out the heart and essence of his interviewees.

Through Mike’s work at Lifestories Alive, powerful stories don’t have to be left in the graveyard. Instead, they can be captured as a legacy for future generations to tap into their ancestry.

“When you shut up long enough to really hear somebody you really get to know the essence of an individual.” 

Tune into this episode and discover some powerful tips and techniques that will sharpen your own listening, storytelling, and conversation skills. You’ll also discover what’s possible when you tap into the art of listening and set an intention to know another human on a deep and meaningful level.

Check out these episode highlights:

1. How Mike felt interviewing Holocaust survivors.
2. What are the healing aspects of telling your story?
3. “The chill of the sigh” and the feeling of telling the story. 
4. Mike’s incredible tip for being a better listener. 
5. The power of clarifying questions. 
6. How personal stories heal families. 
7. Interviewing centurions. 
8. How do you encourage someone to tell a story they don’t believe matters? 
9. The reason WHY? is such a powerful question. 
10. Where Mike’s passion for capturing stories comes from 
11. Questions to ask to unlock a life story. 
12. The power of finding your own story. 
13. And more...

As a podcaster, I’ve seen for myself how conversations evolve and deepen as my own listening skills develop with practice. 

I loved speaking with this master storyteller and I know you’ll take so much from Mike’s wisdom. 

“Volumes are spoken in silence.” 

Contact Info:

• https://www.lifestoriesalive.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/caregiverplan
• https://www.instagram.com/caregiverplan/

Summary/ Call to Action: 

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