The Question Every Podcast Host Should Ask (But Most Don't)

After more than 800 podcast episodes, Brad Walsh has found the five words that turn a good interview into a great one. Here’s the question most hosts never ask, and when to use it.

By Brad Walsh.

I've recorded over 800 podcast episodes.

That's 800 conversations. 800 hours of listening. 800 women sharing their stories, their struggles, their breakthroughs.

And somewhere around episode 200, I realized something that changed how I host, how I listen, and how I show up in every conversation.

There's a question most podcast hosts never ask.

Not because they don't care. Not because they're bad interviewers.

But because they're so focused on getting through their list of questions, staying on topic, and keeping the conversation moving that they miss the most important moment of the entire interview.

The moment when the guest says something that matters. Something vulnerable. Something true. Something that deserves to be explored. And instead of leaning in, the host moves on.

I've done it. You've probably done it too.

But once I learned to recognize that moment and, more importantly, once I learned to pause and ask the question that unlocks it, everything changed.

Not just for my podcast. But for my guests. And for the listeners.

So let me share that question with you.

The Question Most Hosts Miss

Here it is: "Tell me more about that."

That's it.

Five words.

Not revolutionary. Not fancy. Not a clever interviewing technique you need a masterclass to learn. Just: Tell me more about that.

But here's why it's so powerful: When a guest shares something vulnerable (a moment of struggle, a realization, a shift in their thinking), they're testing the waters. They're seeing if you're really listening, if you care, if it's safe to go deeper.

And most hosts, in that moment, do one of three things:

1. They move on to the next question.

Because they have a list. A structure. A plan. And going off-script feels risky.

2. They relate it back to themselves.

"Oh, I totally get that. I went through something similar when..." And suddenly, the conversation is about the host, not the guest.

3. They try to fix it or offer advice.

"Have you tried...?" or "What you should do is..." Which, while well-intentioned, shuts down the vulnerability and turns the conversation into a coaching session.

But when you pause, lean in, and simply say, Tell me more about that, you do something rare: You give them permission to go deeper. You show them you're listening, not just waiting for your turn to talk.

You create space for the real story, and that's where the magic happens.

What Happens When You Ask It

I'll give you an example. A few years ago, I interviewed a CEO who had built a multi-million-dollar company. On paper, she was the definition of success. We were about 20 minutes into the conversation, talking about her leadership style, when she said, almost as an aside:

"I spent most of my 30s feeling like I wasn't enough."

She said it quickly. Casually. Like it was just a fact. And I almost moved on. I had a list of questions, we were talking about leadership, and this felt like a tangent. But something made me pause and, instead of moving forward, I leaned in:

"Tell me more about that."

She looked at me, took a breath, and then she told me about the years of being the only woman in the room, about the constant second-guessing, about the voice in her head that said, You're not smart enough. You're not qualified enough. You got lucky.

About how it took her until her 40s to realize that voice wasn't hers; it was the accumulation of every dismissive comment, every time she was talked over, every time she was told she was "too much" or "not enough."

That moment, that five-minute detour we took because I asked her to tell me more, became the most powerful part of the episode.

Listeners reached out for months afterward saying, "That part where she talked about not feeling enough? That was me. I needed to hear that."

And it almost didn't happen because I almost moved on.

Why Hosts Miss This Moment

So why do so many hosts (myself included, for years) miss this moment?

There are a few reasons:

1. We're too focused on our questions.

We come prepared with a list, and we're determined to get through it. We're so focused on what we're going to ask next that we're not fully present for what the guest is saying right now.

2. We're afraid of silence.

When a guest finishes talking, there's often a pause, a beat. In that pause, most hosts feel the need to fill the space, to move things along, to keep the energy up. But sometimes, that pause is where the guest is deciding whether to go deeper. There is such profound power in that pause, and if you rush through it, you'll never know what they were about to say.

3. We think we need to be "on" all the time.

As hosts, we feel responsible for the energy, the flow, the entertainment value, so we feel like we need to keep things moving, keep things interesting, keep things light. But the most interesting, compelling, memorable moments in a podcast are the ones where the guest feels safe enough to be real. And that doesn't happen when you're performing; it happens when you're present.

How to Use This Question (Without Overdoing It)

Now, I'm not saying you ask "Tell me more about that" after every single thing your guest says.That would be exhausting. And weird.

But here's when you should use it:

1. When they share something vulnerable.

A moment of struggle. A failure. A fear. A realization. Don't rush past it; lean in.

2. When they say something that surprises you.

If your gut reaction is, Wait, what? I want to know more about that, trust that instinct. Your listeners probably feel the same way.

3. When they gloss over something important.

Sometimes guests will mention something profound in passing, like it's no big deal. That's usually a sign there's more there. Ask them to unpack it.

4. When you sense there's more to the story.

You know that feeling when someone says something and you just know there's a deeper layer? Trust that and ask them to go there.

The Art of Listening (Not Just Interviewing)

Here's what I've learned after 800 episodes:

The best interviewers aren't the ones with the best questions; they're the ones who listen so deeply that they know when to abandon the questions altogether. A great podcast isn't about getting through your list; it's about creating space for your guest to share something true.

Something they maybe haven't said out loud before. Something that will resonate with someone listening who needed to hear it. And that only happens when you're willing to pause, lean in, and ask: Tell me more about that.

What This Means for Your Podcast

If you're a podcast host, whether you have 10 episodes or 1,000, I want you to try this: In your next interview, pay attention to the moments when your guest says something that feels important.

Something vulnerable, something surprising, something that makes you want to know more. And instead of moving on to your next question, pause.

Take a breath and say: "Tell me more about that."

See what happens.

I'm willing to bet you'll get a story you weren't expecting, a moment that becomes the most memorable part of the episode, a conversation that goes deeper than you planned. Because that's the difference between a good interview and a great one.

It's not about asking the perfect questions; it's about being present enough to recognize the moment when the real conversation begins and having the courage to lean in.

Final Thought

I started Empowerography because I wanted to amplify women's voices, but what I've learned over 8 years and 800 conversations is this: Amplifying someone's voice doesn't mean giving them a microphone; it means listening so deeply that they feel safe enough to tell the truth. And sometimes, all it takes is five words: Tell me more about that.

Try it. Your guests and your listeners will thank you.

Brad Walsh is a Soul EmpowHERment Guide, host of the top 1.5% rated podcast Empowerography, a Speaker and a passionate advocate for women's empowerment. His column, Beyond The Mic, explores the deeper conversations that emerge when we truly listen.

Empowerography | Empower. Elevate. Educate.