In this episode of The LVR Podcast, Ruan Burger and Marissa Schulze dive into Week 7 of the Broker Journal: Two Ears, One Mouth. The premise is simple — we were built to listen twice as much as we speak, and most of us have it the wrong way around.
Ruan opens by reframing what listening actually means in a broking context. It's not just about being polite in client meetings — it's about understanding what someone actually needs before you try to solve their problem. Assumptions are expensive in this industry, and the brokers who ask better questions consistently get better outcomes.
Marissa extends the conversation to team leadership, making the point that the same principle applies internally. If you're not genuinely listening to your team — understanding what they need, what's going on for them, and how they're feeling — you'll struggle to retain good people and build a culture worth working in. She also shares her approach to difficult conversations: ask open questions first, understand the full picture, then respond.
Ruan wraps with a story from his early days in a Rotary Club — turning up to give rather than get — and how that shift in mindset unlocked referral relationships that had been stalled for over a year. The lesson translates directly to every client and referral partner conversation a broker has.
The challenge this week: what's your ratio of listening to speaking, and what one question could you start asking more?
Ready to sharpen your communication skills? Explore the Broker Journal at successandbroker.com.au/the-broker-journal
Thank You To Our Hosts: Ruan Burger and Marissa Schulze
More From Marissa and her company, Rise High Financial Solutions:
More From Ruan and his company, Success and Broker:
