When did soft skills like empathy become deprioritized in the tech industry? My guest today shares a little history lesson on how that happened and why initially those soft, human skills were always a vital part of successful innovation and technology before they got separated. Only now are they finding their way back to each other in software development and programming to solve the 21st century's most complex challenges. 

Today, I talk with Andrea Goulet. We talk about how soft skills like empathy lost favor in technology curricula,  and how she built her business centered around empathy before it successfully merged with another company. She talks about the research she uncovered on programming models that parallel human communication. And we discussed why the current AI landscape is moving so fast but that her models can be used to ensure we intentionally apply empathy to deal with long-term consequences while still gaining short-term benefits.

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

Key Takeaways:

• Investing in empathetic communication will positively impact any team you’re on. Having a good understanding of empathy drives any industry.
• 80 to 90% of our miscommunications happen at the concept level because you can say something and someone can understand the word but might think of it as a different thing.
• The four dimensions of human communication and our ability to pivot and understand one another are: catch, collect, connect, and communicate.

"Whether we're talking about software,  building pyramids, or finding new ways to hunt and take down the mammoth, empathy is the mechanism that enables us to communicate, collaborate, and solve complex problems together." —  Andrea Goulet

Episode References:

• Ilana Ben-Ari: How The Empathy Toy is Changing the World

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About Andrea Goulet: Co-Founder, CorgiBytes, Founder, Empathy in Tech

Andrea Goulet is on a mission to integrate empathy into the software industry. She is a sought-after international keynote speaker, experienced software executive, and award-winning industry leader. Her expertise centers on using empathy and effective communication to modernize legacy and mission-critical software systems.

Through her online courses, Andrea has taught over 50,000 students how to level up their empathy and communication skills to create better software. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Empathy-Driven Software Development, and the founder of Empathy in Tech, an online community where code and compassion connect.

Connect with Andrea:

Website: andreagoulet.com

Empathy in Tech: empathyintech.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andreamgoulet

Her coming book: Empathy-Driven Software Development

Connect with Maria:

Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com

Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com

Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross

Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

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