Jeff Wetzler: An Actionable Guide to Unlocking Learning and Personal Growth

Episode recap:

This week Marcel sits down with Dr. Jeff Wetzler, author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life. In this enlightening conversation, Marcel and Jeff discussed the importance of asking the right questions and being curious in leadership and life. Jeff introduces a powerful scientific method called The Ask Approach™, a practical framework for learning from others. They explored the challenges that prevent people from sharing insights and emphasized the need for creating psychological safety, posing quality questions, active listening, and reflection to unlock human potential. The conversation covered various aspects of effective communication and learning, highlighting the significance of curiosity, empathy, and gratitude in both personal and professional settings.

Bio:

Dr. Jeff Wetzler is an expert on adult learning and leadership development. He is co-founder and a board member of Transcend, a leader in education innovation. Transcend works with hundreds of schools and districts in over thirty U.S. states and has a vibrant network of 10,000+ innovators. Jeff is also former Chief Learning Officer of Teach For America, and is a two-time author. Jeff’s career is dedicated to unlocking human potential by helping people learn more deeply and transform their mindsets to realize bold new possibilities for themselves, their organizations, and their communities. Jeff holds a Doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership from Columbia University.

Quotes:

• "If you are not embarrassed by who you were last year, you're not learning fast enough."
• "There is something important to learn from every single person—even people we disagree with, even people who are our enemies, even people we think are dangerous." 

Takeaways:

• Practice curiosity by asking "What might I be missing?" before jumping to conclusions about people or situations.
• Create psychological safety in conversations by meeting people where they're comfortable and showing you genuinely want to learn from them.
• Develop listening skills by paying attention to content, emotions, and actions during conversations, not just words.

Timestamps:

[00:08] Why We Struggle to Ask the Questions That Matter

[02:44] Meet the Mind Behind the Ask Approach to Learning

[05:01] What Drives Dr. Wetzler to Keep Learning

[06:11] Why People Hold Back What They Really Think

[11:51] Five Ways to Get Honest Insight from Others

[21:38] How to Make People Feel Safe Enough to Share

[25:17] Asking Better Questions That Actually Teach You

[28:42] Listening That Builds Trust Instead of Tension

[31:25] What to Do After Someone Opens Up to You

[35:00] How to Make Good Conversations Feel Natural

[37:42] Dr. Wetzler’s Biggest Hope for How We Grow Next

Conclusion:

The Ask approach shows that many communication problems come from fear, assumptions, and not taking time to understand others. When people feel safe to speak openly, real conversations can happen. Asking thoughtful questions and truly listening—not just to words, but to tone and body language—can lead to stronger trust and clarity. This kind of communication builds deeper connections and helps avoid misunderstandings. It's a simple but powerful shift in how we relate to one another.

Links/Resources:

Book website: https://www.askapproach.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-wetzler-9ba3824/ 

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