Dr. Helen Riess: The Science Behind Empathy's Power on Business Results

The power of empathy for organizational success is not just proven in all the data. Neuroscience backs up our human need to connect and form relationships. But why does empathic communication lead to better business results, improved wellness, decreased burnout, and better workforce retention? We explore that today with Dr. Helen Riess. 

Persuaded by the belief that empathy can transform healthcare, Dr. Riess founded Empathetics to meet medicine’s most pressing challenges. We talk about whether empathy can be taught or if it's an inborn trait, the evidence for how empathy improves measurable outcomes, and what shifts we need to make to more fully bring empathy into work. Dr. Riess shares how the brain works on empathy and how it looks different for different people of all abilities. Finally, we discuss the importance of getting people into the right seat to lead with empathy and why self-regulation skills are critical to leadership success.

To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode at TheEmpathyEdge.com.

Listen and discover:

• Why empathy is a key survival trait of the human species.
• Effective shifts to bring more personal compassion, kindness, and empathy to the workplace.
• The best ways to start your day for effective, empathetic leadership.
• Advice for dealing with people at different stages and levels of empathy.
• Why practicing empathy at work spills over into other aspects of your life.

"Neuroscience shows that when the brain is at rest, we're not doing nothing. The default mode is all about working out relationships. It just shows how critical human relationship and connectedness really is." —  Dr. Helen Riess

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About Dr. Helen Riess, Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Empathetics

Dr. Helen Riess, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, is renowned for her groundbreaking research into the neurobiology of empathy.  Dr. Riess has shown that empathy can be taught and learned. Her work has reshaped how healthcare professionals connect with patients and colleagues, fostering trust and greater patient and clinician satisfaction. Her award-winning research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals.

Persuaded by the belief that empathy can transform healthcare, Dr. Riess founded Empathetics to meet medicine’s most pressing challenges. As Chief Medical Officer, she translates her research into programs that help healthcare teams navigate the communication demands of modern practice. Her empathy training programs improve wellness, reduce burnout and employee turnover, and improve workforce cultures.

Her best-selling book, The Empathy Effect, has resonated globally. Her TEDx talk, “The Power of Empathy,” has nearly one million views. A Founding Member of Newsweek’s Expert Forum, Dr. Riess continues to champion the transformative power of empathy to improve healthcare for everyone.

Connect with Helen: 

Empathetics, Inc: empathetics.com

Instagram: instagram.com/helen.riess

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/helen-riess

TEDx: The Power of Empathy

Book: The Empathy Effect: empathetics.com/empathy-effect-book

Connect with Maria:

Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books

Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com

Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross

Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Facebook: Red Slice

Threads: @redslicemaria