Leading Through the Noise: Listening Culture as a Change Management Strategy

Voices of Leadership: Engage. Learn. Give Back.

About the Session:

In a time of complexity when noise is constant and clarity is rare, many leaders struggle to build trust, align teams, and foster engagement. What if the most overlooked solution is also the most powerful? In this energizing and practical session, former mayor, leadership coach, and UVA SCPS assistant professor Kai Degner introduces the idea of listening culture—a consistent commitment within a group or organization to leave each feeling heard and understood. Hear why this may be the missing ingredient in your leadership and teams in this complex and disruptive time. You’ll learn simple, transformative tools like the Five-Part Powerful Paraphrase and the Listening Café to move beyond taking turns talking to taking turns feeling heard. Leaders and followers will be more equipped to shape a leadership process that fosters trust, inclusion, innovation, and action.

Voices of Leadership: Engage. Learn. Give Back. is a free event series designed to bring our community together for meaningful conversations and shared learning. We invite you to enjoy these sessions and connect with leaders who inspire positive change in their respective fields. While participation is complimentary, guests will have the opportunity (entirely optional) to make a donation to our student scholarship funds, helping expand access and opportunity for future learners.

Kai Degner Bio:

A former mayor turned strategic leadership scholar, Kai Degner doesn’t just talk about listening—he builds the scaffolding for others to build listening cultures in their teams, organizations, and communities. With a mind wired for frameworks and a heart wired for unlocking others’ leadership potential, he blends a professor’s passion for theory with a trainer’s promise for actionable take-aways. Whether he’s designing adaptive leadership summits, decoding leadership theory for real-world action, or teaching his UVA leadership students, Kai is committed to simplifying wisdom to inspire action. At UVA, he serves as the Senior Director of Certificates and is an assistant professor in the Leadership Certificate. Kai is a doctoral candidate in James Madison University’s School of Strategic Leadership Studies.