The Empathy Edge Sam Daley-Harris: Reclaiming Our Democracy
What if everything you believe about advocacy is incomplete? What if the real work of changing the world isn’t just about fixing problems, but about transforming ourselves in the process?
That’s the heart of the work of Sam Daley-Harris, Founder and Principal of Civic Courage, and author of Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy.
This conversation reframes what it means to participate in democracy. It’s not just about agonizing or protesting or turning off the news. It’s about awakening to our own power and using empathy to bridge divides and build the kind of future we actually want. It’s about sharing personal stories, engaging in deep listening and conversation, and making bold asks of leaders and volunteers.
To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com, search by episode title.
Listen in for…
- Why sharing your “story of self” matters and how knowing your why becomes your anchor in meaningful leadership and advocacy.
- What transformational advocacy truly is, and why it has the power to change both the issues and the advocates themselves.
- The essential role of empathy in advocacy and the three questions volunteers ask when meeting with an opposing elected official that can turn conflict into connection.
- Why leaders and organizations must move past their fear of asking volunteers to do big, bold things, because that’s where transformation happens.
"Transformational advocacy is where you're trained, encouraged, and succeed at doing things as an advocate that you never thought you could do. When you do those kinds of things, you see yourself differently." — Sam Daley-Harris
Episode References:
- Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness by Jamil Zaki
- Citizens Climate Lobby
- Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet by Bill McKibben
About Sam Daley-Harris, Founder, Civic Courage, and Author, Reclaiming Our Democracy:
Sam Daley-Harris started as a symphony musician and then founded the anti-poverty lobby RESULTS in 1980, co-founded the Microcredit Summit Campaign in 1995, and founded Civic Courage in 2012. The paperback edition of his book Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy was named an editor’s pick by Publishers’ Weekly BookLife. Daley-Harris has been interviewed on NPR’s Here and Now and on PBS’s Laura Flanders and Friends.
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Connect with Sam:
Civic Courage: reclaimingourdemocracy.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sam-daley-harris-b8bb796
Facebook: facebook.com/sam.daleyharris
Instagram: instagram.com/samdaleyharris
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