Failed product launches. Furious customers. Dysfunctional teams. Many of the problems we face in the business world (and frankly, society) stem from the same root cause: Lack of empathy.
Speaker, author, strategist, and empathy advocate Maria Ross shares keen insights and inspiring interviews that prove empathy and compassion are the new paths to market-winning performance. Leveraging both inspiring stories and hard data, Ross connects empathetic leadership, cultures and brands to innovation, engagement, and bottom-line results. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to amplify your impact, and learn how compassionate business tactics can transform your organization from the inside out.
The Empathy Edge podcast provides a quick dose of motivation, wisdom, and practical actions that executive leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers can use right now. Ready to infuse YOUR organization with more empathy? Tune in to learn why cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive.
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Markus van Alphen: Observational Listening and Being an Excellent Leader
Episode 216
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 • Duration 33:25
What makes an excellent leader? Today my guest shares why he believes that leaders who develop their empathy and emotional intelligence are not just better leaders – they become excellent leaders. An excellent leader looks after their own wellbeing by looking after the wellbeing of the people they lead. Markus van Alphen is a leadership psychologist, author, teacher, trainer, organizational consultant, counselor and restorative practitioner.
Today, Markus and I talk about what a leadership psychologist does, what is observational listening, and how it enables leaders to be more empathetic to create psychological safety, reduce burnout, and increase engagement. He shares what makes an excellent leader - and how they never need to motivate anyone! We chat about why leadership is not viewed as a standalone skill, the link between leadership excellence and corporate social responsibility, the impact of toxic leadership on your bottom line, and how to really change a culture by starting with yourself as a role model.
To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Your shareholders are stakeholders, but they are only one of the stakeholders. Make sure you consider all of your stakeholders in your leadership practices.
People often struggle in conversations because they’re too often in their heads and trying to plan the conversation within themselves, not participate in the conversation.
As the leader, you do not always have to have (or give) the answer to every question. Encourage collaboration in your team by demonstrating that with them. This will help to empower them and help your team learn the skills to solve the next challenges going forward.
"People are always motivated. I don't even believe that you, as a leader, need to motivate your people. I believe it's about finding out what motivates them." — Markus van Alphen
About Markus van Alphen, Director, Excellent Leader
Markus is a leadership psychologist, author, teacher, trainer, organizational consultant, counselor and restorative practitioner. He is an authority on empathy, emotional intelligence, and well-being. Markus has a master's degree in Psychology from the University of Amsterdam and a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Cape Town. As a thought leader, he introduces the term Observational Listening, a theme he has written several books about, including The Excellent Leader and The More Excellent Leader.
Join the community and discover what empathy can do for you: http://red-slice.com
PRE-SALE SPECIAL! Pre-order 1 to 99 copies of Maria's new book, The Empathy Dilemma for your leaders, exec team, (or yourself?!) and GET 30%! https://bit.ly/TEDSpecialPresale Offer ends August 27, 2024!
Kristine Scott: How to Resolve Conflict with Angry Customers or Colleagues
Episode 215
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 • Duration 38:41
According to a CPP global human capital study, 89% of employees let their conflicts with co-workers escalate. My guest today, Kristine Scott, is out to build a future where the energy of conflict gets harnessed to create pro-social change, not division.
Kristine shares how she got into this work of coaching teams on how to resolve conflict and what she learned from young people on the street dealing with conflict effectively. We talk about why most of us prefer to avoid conflict and the false narrative we tell ourselves about our ability to emotionally connect. Kristine offers a 3-step formula for resolving conflict and gives examples of it in action. We also discuss how self-awareness and self-reflection are the keys to effectively handling conflict while also protecting your own mental health.
To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Most people prefer to avoid conflict because they think they’re bad at it. We are more likely to remember the times we failed at conflict resolution, not the times we handled it successfully.
If there’s something that regularly gets under your skin, take a deeper look. Understand whether it is the action that is bothering you, or if it is what that action represents that is a trigger.
Supervisors assume the conflict is repaired more often than it is, which can lead to performance issues and tension within the organization.
Conflict often arises because people don’t feel heard. You can’t always solve the problem, but you can always listen with empathy and help them understand that they’re heard.
"We all have our weak points about the things that really get under our skin, and we lose all objectivity. We can work on that old stuff. We can get support, do a little therapy, and come back to not be so reactive." — Kristine Scott
Dr. Nicole Price: From Engineer to Empathy Revolutionary
Episode 206
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 • Duration 43:03
How do you get analytical, process-driven people like engineers, lawyers, and doctors to see the value of empathy and human connection? It's not that they CAN'T embrace it. It's just that they see the world and how to solve problems differently.
My guest, Dr. Nicole Price believes two things: 1) everyone wants to do a good job and 2) empathetic leadership is critical to helping to leverage that desire. Today we talk about how she became an empathy revolutionary, how to open up a broader path to empathy, and why diversity doesn't work when saddled by apathy. Dr. Price shares how a traumatic event opened up her capacity to connect through emotion and better impact performance - and why she now helps others understand that those who are emotional can also be logical. We discuss how to link accountability to commitment and why her role as a translator helps logical thinkers understand they don't have an empathy deficit, but that there are multiple roads to empathy that are a better fit for the way they experience the world.
To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
When people understand people better, it transforms them from the outside in. They don’t need to be practicing empathy for the right reason initially, but it will change most people eventually.
It is not unusual for doctors, lawyers, and engineers to think they are better than those who are not at the same level as them. This is a barrier to empathy, but one that can be overcome.
Empathy is a method of information gathering. For some, they will be attracted to that rather than the emotions of empathy. There is no wrong way to begin your practice of empathy.
"Engineers are taught to listen for accuracy. But when I'm trying to be empathetic, listening for accuracy is not helpful to me. I'm supposed to be listening for understanding." — Dr. Nicole Price
Emily Vernon: Are You Gathering the Right Customer Insights?
Episode 116
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 • Duration 47:14
We, as marketers, all understand how important it is to get to know our customers. But what discipline are we bringing to that process? Do we understand the many levels of empathy we need to have for them, and how to translate those insights into the customer experience and product or service?
Today, Emily Vernon, shares so much wisdom about how to look at our customers' experience. We talk about the cumulative experience and how brands can shift from being reactive to cultural moments to being more proactive. Emily shares the three altitudes of empathy - the layers at which we need to understand our customers in order to create an engaging experience. We discuss how brand experience is shifting from user-centricity to human centricity, and requires leaders to address more complex, emotional needs (yes, even in B2B!). We chat about how empathy should be viewed as a skill, not a trait. She also shares 5 empathy exercise types so you avoid seeing customer insight gathering as one-dimensional and discover which ones your brand is doing well, versus what you may be missing to get a fuller picture. Today's episode may change the way you gather customer insights from now on!
Key Takeaways:
You have to understand your customers as people, not as a broad, generic demographic. In order to connect with the right people, some people won’t like you.
B2B has evolved over the last 20 years, but it is important to remember that you’re selling to humans, who justify emotions with logic, but are still buying with emotion.
There is more than one way to look at empathy exercises. It is important to look at empathy from all angles, gather and analyze that information, and then implement with your team and see what sticks.
"We bring meaning in terms of how we live, we bring meaning in terms of how we do our job. There's much more of a movement in B2B to start to look at things emotionally." — Emily Vernon
About Emily Vernon, Customer Experience Consultant an, B2B Experience Lead:
Emily consults Reckitt around the end-to-end experience for B2B hygiene solutions. For more than ten years, both agency- and client-side, she has enabled brands to better engage their audiences through experience, ranging from products to service rituals, physical environments to digital platforms.
Lisen Stromberg: What Modern Leaders and Cultures Need to Succeed in the 21st Century
Episode 115
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 • Duration 38:34
Leadership has changed in the last few years, and it can be disorienting for leaders who've subscribed to and succeeded with the old narratives about good leadership. Companies and their leaders need to reframe their cultures to meet the new world of work in the 21st century. It's more than just being nice or being a "cool" boss or giving everyone free lunch. It requires deep and honest self-assessment and a growth mindset to shore up those necessary skills. My guest today, Lisen Stromberg, tells us what skills are required for modern leaders to be successful and how cultures can transform for maximum success.
We discuss where existing leadership and culture paradigms came from and how they have changed, what skills modern leaders require for success, outlined in Prismwork's HEARTI model, and Lisen also shares her research project on men and male leaders in the workplace that they are doing in partnership with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Men and male-identifying leaders, you're invited to take the survey linked in the show notes to share your experience.
Key Takeaways:
The army originally established the tenants of leadership back in the 1940s. That is not what is still needed in the modern business world. Influence has changed, leadership has changed, and it will continue to evolve as well.
A failure of leadership that we see all the time is when a leader comes in, they do a great job creating a culture, leave, and then that just all falls away.
Many leaders may not have the language, but are already doing the right things to promote equity and allyship in their company, even if they don’t know that they are doing so.
Culture is a competitive advantage that is hard to replicate.
"Culture is the competitive advantage. If you don't know how your culture is operating, and don't have a North Star of where you want to go, you're not going to win. You're going to lose in the war for talent, profits, investors…in the war for all." — Lisen Stromberg
About Lisen Stromberg, CEO and Co-founder, Prismwork
Parissa Behnia: How Badass Leaders Convert Raw Power into Real Influence
Episode 114
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 • Duration 49:27
What is a badass leader? According to my guest today, they're badasses who go 80MPH in a 45MPH zone but don’t always check to see if their team is strapped in or interested in going for the ride. These leaders are high value to a company but their "prickly" edges may start to diminish their value. But what if we could help those leaders embrace more empathy and channel that energy and drive into success and innovation? What is the opportunity cost of dismissing or sidelining such prickly leaders?
Executive coach and advisor Parissa Behnia coaches C Suite and Senior leaders who are high will - high skill and have a growth mindset. Today, we talk about the hierarchy of prickly leadership, why many 3D leaders actually do care about the negative impact they have but are not sure how to change the dynamic; why they protect themselves so much, and how they can use her EMPATHY framework to create stronger relationships, set aside ego, and have much more influence and success.
Key Takeaways:
You don’t have to like a leader personally to understand the radical impact that they've had on us and on society.
Once we start learning to have acceptance for our vulnerability, it becomes easier to have a conversation about leadership ultimately being about humanity, and not about the "doing" of whatever it is that they do.
A manager worries about doing things right, a leader worries about doing the right things.
In terms of empathy, when it comes to leadership, it's really about content and context.
"The number one problem with badasses is that they're called " too much" whereas I think they're exactly what we need." — Parissa Behnia
About Parissa Behnia, Executive Coach and Advisor
Parissa Behnia coaches C Suite and Senior leaders who are high will - high skill and have a growth mindset. In other words, they're badasses like you who go 80MPH in a 45MPH zone but don’t always check to see if their team is strapped in or interested in going for the ride. These leaders are high value to a company but their edges may start to diminish their value.
Daniel Jahn: Racial Solidarity and the Psychology of Racism
Episode 113
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 • Duration 48:41
Oh the price we've paid - as both black and white people - because of racism. If we truly want to achieve racial solidarity, we have to start by talking about race, not racism. My guest today Daniel Jahn, DJ for short, has been involved with racial justice and solidarity work for 25 years.
Today, DJ offers us a history lesson about where the concept of race comes from and the real motive behind why it was created. We discuss the evolution of the psychology of racism, and the inner work both black and white people need to do to find unity. DJ's approach is all about unity and what we can create together, rather than what we fight against. DJ shares his epiphany that we are all healing from racism: what it did to our society, the boxes it put us in, the division it caused, the narratives it created - and how we can do deep inner work to explore how racism has harmed us and how we can heal from it. We also explored the question: What does the world look and feel like if racism no longer exists? And why it's better for us to have conversations about race, rather than racism. I was so moved by today's talk and can't wait to do more work on this journey to create a more equitable and inclusive world - hope you are excited as well!
Key Takeaways:
The purpose of creating race, about 315 years ago, was to create “whiteness” and an us-them dynamic.
We don't learn about race. We learn about racism, but we do not understand, grow or learn about race. Most of America, not just white folks, don't understand our racial history, or our racial disconnect.
Nobody is trying to usurp anyone else, we are just trying to create unity, equity, and harmony among people.
We all have work to do to end racism. That work will vary based on our racial perspectives.
"For me, ending racism is eradicating the value that is tied to race. We still have racial differences, we still value our uniqueness and our differences, but we all see each other as Americans." — Daniel Jahn
About Daniel Jahn, Racial Solidarity Trainer:
Daniel Jahn has served on several nonprofit Boards focused on the development of black youth and school-based racial equity teams. He was a member of the National Strength and Conditioning’s Diversity Taskforce, the National High School Strength Coaches Unity Team and a founding participant in the Groundbreakers program focused on mentorship of black and brown boys. He’s presented nationally several times on issues of race in the performance training field, as well as consulted with schools and companies on their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. Together, with his family, he helped found the David Jahn Memorial Sailing Scholarship Fund to provide opportunities for youth of color to sail. He is deeply committed to the mission and vision of the and believes its model to be the true path to racial unity and equity now and in the years to come.
Chris L. Johnson: When Leaders Pause, They Win
Episode 112
Tuesday, September 6, 2022 • Duration 40:53
If you are an ambitious, hard-driving leader who never stops to take a breath - you need to listen to today's episode. Pausing as a leader is vital to making better decisions, regulating your emotions, and creating stronger relationships with your team. You may think that rapid pace is the way to find success, but it will just burn you and your team out. Today my guest is Dr. Chris L. Johnson, author of The Leadership Pause: Navigating the Future with Clarity, Focus & Empathy. Today we talk about why she chose pausing as the topic of her leadership book, why pausing is both mental and physical - and why it's simple but not easy! We discuss the benefits of pausing, both for you as a leader and for your team's performance. We also dive deep into the connection between triggers and mindful pausing - and why being unable to stop long enough to recognize your triggers can lead to disastrous results - personally and professionally.
Key Takeaways:
There is no fully separating your work self and your personal self. What is going on at home will impact your work, and what is going on at work will impact your personal life.
Beginning to pause is about a full body practice. It is about dropping from our monkey mind, and dropping into the body and the sensations to allow us to start to shift gears.
Triggers are normal. We shouldn’t squash them, but we should learn from them about ourselves, our old strategies, and new strategies for moving forward in our leadership.
People are trying to juggle too much, they feel too overwhelmed and too busy. In fact, that's a result of not pausing.
"Every time we do a reset, it isn't just mental, it resets our biology. And when it does that, we have more access to the resources that all of us bring to the table in the first place." — Dr. Chris L. Johnson
About Chris L. Johnson, Consultant and Author, The Leadership Pause
Chris Johnson, PsyD. has devoted her life to the deep listening that underpins ‘what matters most’ in people’s lives. She’s the founder of Q4 Consulting, Inc. a Chicago based consulting firm committed to cultivating exemplary leaders, collaborative teams, healthy workplaces and engaged, thriving communities. An experienced psychologist, mindfulness teacher and executive leadership coach, she's known for creating trust with those who value her honesty, deep listening and commitment to their success.
August Hot Takes: How to Run Your Business With Empathy
Episode 111
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 • Duration 17:45
Welcome to August Hot Takes! To celebrate the podcast's 2nd anniversary, we're shaking things up with some solo episodes from yours truly. I'm answering common questions attendees ask during my keynotes and trainings.
How can I run my business with empathy?
Whether you are part of a billion dollar organization or you are a solopreneur, there are valid business reasons to embrace empathy as part of your business model. And it warms my heart to get this question, as it means that people are finally putting a spotlight on empathy as a way to run a more sustainable, successful business. We want to embrace empathy in how we lead our teams and run our businesses. But we're not always sure how. Let's talk about the ways in which you can infuse empathy into your business and reap the rewards.
Thanks for being here and enjoying the podcast. Would love to know what you think of this Hot Takes format.
Key Takeaways:
Easy ways you can practice empathy at work start with asking questions and being an active listener.
State your common goals out loud - it reminds everyone involved that you’re actually on the same team and want the same things.
Your community is made of real people with needs, desires, goals and aspirations, not numbers, subscribers, or dollar signs.
"It's very easy to show empathy at work. It's not as complicated as people think. It just requires self awareness and emotional intelligence." — Maria Ross
Resources Mentioned:
Client Love: Maria's digital course on how to nurture the customers you already have so you can attract even more.
August Hot Takes: Why One Workshop Won't Fix Your Culture
Episode 110
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 • Duration 14:39
Welcome to August Hot Takes! To celebrate the podcast's 2nd anniversary, we're shaking things up with some solo episodes from yours truly. I'm answering common questions attendees ask during my keynotes and trainings.
Will one empathy workshop fix our culture?
Empathy is like a marathon or any other skill you master over time. You need to train for it. Building up an empathy practice with a sustained curriculum and processes is the way to change behaviors. But you have to make systemic changes to reward and model empathy and show that "this is how we do things around here."
Thanks for being here and enjoying the podcast. Would love to know what you think of this Hot Takes format.
Key Takeaways:
Empathy as a skill and as a culture is built over time with practice and engagement.
Building an empathetic culture starts with your hiring process.
Creating transformational change takes time and effort. It is not a one and done workshop.
"While one workshop is a great start, if empathy is lacking in your organization, it’s a marathon, not a sprint." — Maria Ross
About Kristine Scott, Chief Trainer, Seattle Conflict Resolution
Kristine Scott is the founder and chief trainer for Seattle Conflict Resolution. She has taken over 20 years of lessons from high-incident social service settings and distilled truths and techniques in non-violent conflict response. What began as training for staff and volunteers became so popular she was sought out by hotels, doctors' offices, and others. She founded the company in 2018 and is now the go-to trainer for Seattle Space Needle and Seattle Farmers Markets. Her customers return because she helps them use conflict to build loyalty through compassionate boundary setting.
As of 2024, Ms. Scott has trained over 37,000 people. She promotes a future where the energy of conflict gets harnessed to create pro-social change, not division. In addition to being a trainer, Kristine is also a regular podcast guest, and media source (USA Today).
Course for Customer Service professionals; Angry Customers, Happy Resolutions available at seattleconflictresolution.com
Join the community and discover what empathy can do for you: red-slice.com
PRE-SALE SPECIAL! Pre-order 1 to 99 copies of Maria's new book, The Empathy Dilemma for your leaders, exec team, (or yourself?!) and GET 30%! bit.ly/TEDSpecialPresale Offer ends August 27, 2024!
Dr. Nicole Price, CEO, Lively Paradox and author of Spark the Heart: Engineering Empathy in Your Organization
Dr. Nicole Price believes two things: 1) everyone wants to do a good job 2) empathetic leadership is critical to helping to leverage that desire. She is an empathy revolutionary who teaches leaders how to build more empathy in organizations. Her clients range from manufacturing facilities to school districts. She is the author of seven books centered on being an exceptional leader—most notably Spark the Heart: Engineering Empathy in Your Organization.
Join the community and discover what empathy can do for you: red-slice.com
PRE-SALE SPECIAL! Pre-order 1 to 99 copies of Maria's new book, The Empathy Dilemma for your leaders, exec team, (or yourself?!) and GET 30%! bit.ly/TEDSpecialPresale Offer ends August 27, 2024!
She’s been honored to have worked with some of the top brands within work, travel, luxury and wellbeing including Lego, IHG, Clinique, Shimano and Converse. Collaborations with these brands and others have been featured in Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, Wallpaper*, Transform and Frame Magazine.
Emily's experiences with stand-up comedy, offshore sailing and living abroad have cultivated her belief that we should always question the default.
Lisen Stromberg is CEO and Co-Founder of PrismWork, a culture transformation and leadership development consultancy. She is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader on the future of work. Her book, Work Pause Thrive: How to Pause for Parenthood Without Killing Your Career, covers how highly achieving women have navigated the work/life integration issue by crafting nonlinear careers.
Men and male-identifying knowledge workers, any level: Please take Prismwork's and W. K. Kellogg Foundation's research survey on men in the workplace. Your input is invaluable to the research: www.menatworkresearch.com
Primswork's HEARTI Quotient inclusive leadership assessment for the 21st Century: HEARTI stands for Humility, EMPATHY, Accountability, Resiliency, Transparency, and Inclusivity. It is built on assessments with hundreds of leaders across numerous industries as well as extensive research on modern leadership competencies.
These days, leadership is full of complexities whether you’re navigating from an audacious goal or trying to avoid that iceberg up ahead. In either case, Parissa's clients choose her because she's either sat in those seats or next to those seats often enough to know how it can feel to be alone in a crowded leadership room. She's unafraid to speak truth to power to help propel you forward.
With over 20 years of corporate, consulting, coaching, Parissa’s key strategic difference is Empathy as a strategic imperative. She’s so passionate about employing empathy in business that she’s developed the Sixense Empathy Model™.
Parissa has taught entrepreneurship seminars and is a frequent speaker on strategy, leadership and entrepreneurship. She is a Certified Professional Coach, holds a BA from Northwestern University and MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Inconceivable Influence Coaching Program: https://bit.ly/InconceivableInfluence. A group program for leaders and aspiring leaders who want to convert their raw power into influence.
Chris is the Chair of Conscious Capitalism Chicago and on the leadership team of Ellevate Chicago. She just released her book, The Leadership Pause: Navigating the Future with Clarity, Focus & Empathy. When she’s not working, Chris is likely either gardening, reading a great book, making art, or at the aikido dojo where she practices and teaches the art of peace.
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