How to Be Awesome at Your Job

1003: How to Be Both Empathetic and Effective as a Leader with Maria Ross

Oct 17, 2024

37:13

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Maria Ross, a keynote speaker and empathy advocate, shares her insights on how leaders can merge empathy with effectiveness. She discusses the necessity of empathy in engaging teams and driving performance, all while avoiding people-pleasing. Ross addresses the 'empathy dilemma' leaders face—navigating support for teams while ensuring accountability. She also explores innovative team-building methods that align skills development with service, and encourages clarity in communication across generational divides. Her approach promotes a joyful and inclusive workplace.

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Quick takeaways

Empathetic leadership enhances engagement and performance, proving that compassion can drive innovation and strengthen organizational culture.

Balancing accountability with empathy is essential for leaders to maintain support and understanding while effectively achieving business goals.

Deep dives

The Strength of Empathy in Leadership

Empathy is a powerful trait in leadership that fosters stronger connections and engagement, contradicting the common misconception that it signifies weakness. Empathetic leaders boost innovation, customer loyalty, and even a company's stock prices, illustrating that empathy is a strategic advantage rather than a vulnerability. Organizations with an empathetic culture witness not only improved employee satisfaction but also enhanced performance metrics, as individuals feel valued and heard. The necessity for leaders to balance accountability with compassion is crucial; they can communicate difficult decisions while still showing understanding and support.

Intro

2min

Empathy and Leadership Effectiveness

23min

Innovative Team-Building Through Skills and Service

2min

Communicating Across Generations: Understanding Cultural Norms

4min

Balancing Empathy and Accountability in Leadership

4min

Embracing Empathy and Effective Leadership

4min

Maria Ross reveals how leaders can drive growth and improve performance without sacrificing empathy.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) How everyone wins with more empathy

2) Why leaders struggle with accountability—and how to fix it

3) How to practice empathy without devolving into people-pleasing

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1003 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT MARIA —

Maria Ross is a keynote speaker, author, strategist, and empathy advocate who believes cash flow, creativity and compassion are not mutually exclusive. She is the founder of Red Slice and advises organizations on how to leverage empathy to better engage and connect. Maria has authored multiple books, including her most recent, The Empathy Edge and hosts The Empathy Edge podcast. Maria’s forthcoming book, The Empathy Dilemma: How Successful Leaders Balance Performance, People, and Personal Boundaries arrives on shelves in September 2024. A dynamic speaker, Maria has delighted audiences at leading conferences and organizations such as TEDx, The 3% Conference, The New York Times Small Business Summit, and Salesforce and her insights have appeared in many media outlets, including MSNBC, NPR, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Newsweek, Huffington Post, and Thrive Global.

• Book: The Empathy Dilemma: How Successful Leaders Balance Performance, People, and Personal Boundaries

• Book: The Empathy Edge: Harnessing the Value of Compassion as an Engine for Success

• Podcast: The Empathy Edge

• Website: Red-Slice.com

• Instagram: @redslicemaria

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Study: 2024 State of Workplace Empathy Report

• Website: DoSomething.org

• Book: Unlocking Generational CODES: Understanding What Makes the Generations Tick and What Ticks Them OFF by Anna Liotta

• Book: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

• Past episode: 155: Managing Defensiveness for Stronger Collaborations with Jim Tamm

— THANK YOU, SPONSORS! —