71: Not the Listener You Think You Are w/ Oscar Trimboli

“74.9% of people think they’re great listeners. Only 12.8% of people feel truly heard. Someone’s lying—and it might be you.”

 That gap is costing you trust, performance, innovation, and talent. In this powerful episode of No Limits Leadership, Sean Patton sits down with global listening expert and author of How to Listen, Oscar Trimboli, to uncover why most leaders are failing at one of the most essential leadership skills: deep listening.

Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a team leader, this conversation will challenge your assumptions, reveal your personal “listening villain,” and show you how to become the kind of leader who inspires loyalty, drives clarity, and unlocks the potential of your people—just by listening better.

🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• (00:49) The Listening Quiz and Sean’s self-discovery as an “interrupting listener”
• (02:24) Why most people overestimate their listening skills
• (04:00) The 4 Listening Villains: Dramatic, Interrupting, Lost, and Shrewd
• (10:00) Simple language cues to better understand how others think
• (17:53) How age, seniority, and background influence listening patterns
• (22:00) Why nonverbal listening matters more than we realize
• (24:45) Why listening is the most overlooked leadership skill
• (25:20) The $1 million mistake a pharmaceutical company made by not listening to a frontline worker
• (31:21) Sean shares a combat story of how not listening nearly led to mission failure
• (33:39) A “purple smoke” moment—how deep listening on a Green Beret team sparked tactical innovation
• (39:13) How technology is changing the way we listen (and how to use it wisely)
• (44:31) How to take the Listening Quiz and get your custom report

🔗 Resources & Links

• Take the Listening Quiz: https://www.listeningquiz.com
• Learn more about Oscar Trimboli: https://www.oscartrimboli.com
• Subscribe to the No Limits Leadership Newsletter: https://nolimitsleadership.beehiiv.com/subscribe

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.