Imagination and resilience are the hallmarks of successful leaders, those who can envision the goal before they even know exactly how to get there, and those who can bounce back and learn from failure rather than let it discourage them. Imagination and resilience are what we need, now more than ever, to create a more peaceful, harmonious world. That’s how we’ll tap into new ideas for how to work, collaborate, and perform. Today, my guest, Michelle Sherman, and I talk about the role of imagination and resilience in creating empathy. We discuss how most innovative leaders imagine the outcome they want before anyone even thinks it’s possible. We discuss cognitive replenishment and the role it plays in original thinking - and in coping with modern life challenges., and how original thinking is the result of intentional choices on a daily basis. Finally, we discuss how positive imagination is a skillset you can master, through small decisions you make every day. Key Takeaways:Empathy and imagination go hand in hand because people need to know that when they give their best, it is valued. In order to imagine possibilities, the first step is cognitive replenishment so that you can be a better thinker of divergent thinking and become more optimistic naturally. We need to think in a new way to solve the problems we have been solving for thousands of years. We created the models, we can change them and think about things in a different way. What we lack is not goodness, what we usually lack is imagination. "If you want to live an authentic life, be yourself. Be an original thinker, and you will be a much happier, healthier cell in the body of humankind. Only good can come of that." —  Michelle Sherman About Michelle Sherman:Michelle Sherman, Transformational Leadership Coach & Founder, VAST InstituteRenaissance woman. International business strategist. Inspirational speaker. Published author. Transformational coach. Leadership mentor. Citizen diplomat. Visionary pioneer. Spiritual companion. Proponent of World Peace. These are just a few titles earned by the founder of VAST Institute, Michelle Sherman. With a vibrant background in a myriad of industries, Michelle’s vast experience allows her to connect with clients from all walks of life—from C-suite executives to individuals simply seeking direction and a deeper meaning in life. Michelle is also the author of Kindling the Flame:The Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment, an uplifting guide to optimism, inclusion, resilience and awakened leadership genius. Connect with Michelle Sherman:Website: https://www.vastinstitute.comHer book: Kindling the FlameTwitter: https://twitter.com/vastmattersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vast-institute/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeadershipGeniusInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vastinstitute/  Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy  Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Do you have to choose between a successful corporate career and humanitarian work? Or can they live in harmony? Today’s guest proves that you can not only do both, but that you can engage your team and such work can make you a better, more empathetic leader! It’s a beautiful cycle and one I’m thrilled to talk about with Woodson Martin. Today, Woodson shares how he achieves that balance, and offers advice on how you can do both as well. We talk about how his community work has benefited him as a leader, helped engage his team, and how he bounces back and forth between these different worlds. He also shares great stories about how his tech teams have been able to use their unique talents to solve non-profit challenges, hopefully sparking some ideas for you! Key Takeaways:It doesn’t require travelling the world to do humanitarian work. There is a lot of need for it within the borders of your own country. Any kind of change requires courage. If you don’t ask, you will never know what kind of reaction you will get.Seeing leaders engage in humanitarian work frees employees to feel that they can, too. It also helps to build relationships, not only with your employees, but with your customers and partners. Values create value. Committing yourself, your company, and your employees to giving back to your community is an investment in your business.  "Do not underestimate the power of giving back and developing a corporate commitment to do that." —  Woodson Martin About Woodson Martin:Woodson Martin + EVP & GM, Salesforce AppExchangeWoodson has been with Salesforce for over 15 years, and has had the opportunity to wear many hats in roles ranging from marketing, including serving as CMO of Marketing Cloud, to recruiting. Prior to his current role, Woodson was GM of Salesforce IoT. Woodson also spent nine years at Business Objects, where he led the purchase and implementation of Salesforce as their CRM system in the early 2000s and got hooked on the potential of the cloud. Woodson balances and blends his work at Salesforce with community service through several non-profit organizations focused on humanitarian and legal assistance for people seeking asylum in the United States. Connect with Woodson:Twitter: https://twitter.com/woodson_martinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodsonmartin/Sales Force: www.salesforce.comAppExchange: www.appexchange.comTeam Brownsville: www.teambrownsville.orgMobile Pathways: www.mobilepathways.org FROM OUR EPISODE SPONSOR: VAST INSTITUTEOur guest today will be talking all about how you can balance corporate success with being a humanitarian leader. Business professionals listen up! The world needs more “conscious” leaders and the great news is that operating in this way is goodness for all parties involved: you as a leader, your team, your organization -and yes, the world!On our next episode, you’ll hear from Transformational Leadership Coach and founder of the VAST Institute, Michelle Sherman. So it’s perfect to mention her work and her fabulous book Kindling the Flame:The Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment. The book is an uplifting guide to optimism, inclusion, resilience and awakened leadership genius.Backed by science and psychology, Michelle’s book really opened my eyes to how we can create the world we want, if we simply stop burying ourselves under layers of outdated business models, inauthentic interactions, and toxic media! What we imagine, we can create. What we consume, impacts our frame of mind. What we believe is possible, defines our life.The VAST Cognitive Replenishment practice outlined in the book Kindling the Flame offers professionals a simple set of tools “to mentally recharge your life, heighten problem solving capabilities, reset to healthier boundaries and tune up your leadership skillset”.Seriously, I loved this book. It's so helpful and full of insights that will make you a better, stronger and more mindful leader.Purchase Kindling the Flame: The Art and Science of Cognitive ReplenishmentLearn more about VAST Institute and their leadership programs and resources:https://www.vastinstitute.com Connect with VAST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/vastmattersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vast-institute/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeadershipGeniusInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vastinstitute/  Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy  Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

If you don’t think diversity, equity and inclusion are hard, then you haven’t been paying attention. Of course it’s hard! Most things worth doing to make our world a better place are hard! It requires us to examine biases, rethink old assumptions, and take the time to empathize and see other points of view. And it’s totally worth it, not just to society as a whole, but to your organization’s ability to attract and retain top talent and make smart decisions. Today, I have the honor of talking with the energetic and determined Khlaliah Lyons about DEI done right - and where it can go horribly wrong if you’re not careful. We talk about DEI and why it needs to be a mindset, not a project. We discuss why we need to consider impact more than intention - and where well-intentioned allies can do better. And finally, we discuss the importance of talking about diversity with our kids early and often - and why doing so helps normalize and celebrate difference.  Key Takeaways:There is more to DEI than just having a diverse team and marking it off your annual checklist.Leaders need to understand how understanding different identities can connect us and drive engagement and drive performance.DEI is a wicked problem, not a tame problem. There is no beginning and end with everyone coming to the same perspective, like a finance or engineering problem. It can be ambiguous, with no beginning and end, no right or wrong - simply a focus on getting better.As a well-meaning ally, your intention matters less than your impact. It's also really important to take in that privilege piece, and be okay with it if it's uncomfortable in this work. "You can have diversity, but absolutely no inclusion or equity. I want leaders to understand how understanding different identities can connect us and drive engagement and performance." —  Khalilah Lyons About Khalilah Lyons:Khalilah Lyons, DEI Leader & Co-Founder, Candidly ConnectingKhalilah Lyons, DEI leader and co-founder of Candidly Connecting, a storytelling and community platform dedicated to igniting bold, candid and essential conversations about diversity, equity and belonging between children and their parents. With decades of experience in the corporate world, she has devoted herself to the advocacy of the underrepresented and to elevating the untapped talent in women. Before stepping off the corporate track, Khalilah led DEI initiatives at Discover Financial Services including educational strategy and an impactful leadership task force across the organization. She continues her work through consultancy and now partners with a handful of organizations that are early in their journey to building DEI excellence. Led by an appreciation for the rhythms of cultures and people, and the necessity to respect those rhythms, her work as a keynote speaker, mentor, advisory council member, thought leader and volunteer have provided powerful platforms to share actionable insights and to empower the brilliance of others.Khalilah's mission is to curate the beautifully messy stories that shift perspective, create empathy and ignite change by sharing the nuanced experiences of people we wouldn’t normally connect with. Connect with Khalilah Lyons:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalilahlyons/Candidly Connecting Podcast: https://www.candidlyconnecting.com/ Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy  Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

We, as humans, don’t buy for the reasons we think we do, and there are ways to communicate our message so that we tap into those mental models and frameworks - not to manipulate, but to make your case in a way our brains can understand and connect with.  My guest today, Melina Palmer, CEO of The Brainy Business, and author of What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You, will share exactly what behavioral economics is and why it matters to your success as a business, as a marketer, and as a persuasive communicator. Melina also shares why our customers can’t even always tell us what they want, and we explore the concept of Behavioral Baking and how it works to better connect with customers. Key Takeaways:Look for anywhere you’re communicating: “10% fat” instead of “90% fat-free” and see where you can flip it and reframe it to more appealing language and messaging (even if it is, logically, the same thing). Reframe your messages as a question to get people talking and understanding what they are looking for. Customers are distracted and are, habitually, buying 95% of the time. You need to understand which side of the habitual line you are on.  "Essentially, behavioral economics is the psychology of why people buy and understanding what's really happening within the brain. It's so important for everyone in life and in business because our subconscious brains are making 99% of our decisions at any given time." —  Melina Palmer About Melina Palmer:Melina Palmer is founder and CEO of The Brainy Business, which provides behavioral economics consulting to businesses of all sizes from around the world. Her podcast, The Brainy Business: Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy, has downloads in over 160 countries and is used as a resource for teaching applied behavioral economics for many universities and businesses. Melina obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration: marketing and worked in corporate marketing and brand strategy for over a decade before earning her master’s in behavioral economics. A proud member of the Global Association of Applied Behavioral Scientists, Melina has contributed research to the Association for Consumer Research, Filene Research Institute, and runs the Behavioral Economics & Business column for Inc Magazine. She teaches applied behavioral economics through the Texas A&M Human Behavior Lab and her first book, What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You, published in May 2021 Connect with Melina:Website: https://www.thebrainybusiness.comBook: What Your Customer Wants and Can't Tell You http://bit.ly/WhatYourCustomerWantsGet your free copy of the 111-page PDF Companion Workbook by joining the BE Thoughtful Revolution Community: https://be-thoughtful-revolution.mn.co/share/Pg3nbLXqOXyRiFZI?utm_source=manualTwitter: https://twitter.com/thebrainybizLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melina-palmer-36ab8712/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrainybiz/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrainybiz/ Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

When was the last time you felt a sense of play at work?  Our current workplace paradigms and power structures no longer serve us, and we’re called to rethink them to have more impact and financial success. My guests today are Jyoti Patel and Emily Griffin. These two powerhouses joined together to create The Empathy Tour, where they spent the fall of 2020 talking to all types of leaders, both traditional ones and those underrepresented in the business world, to talk about how they lead, what challenges they face, and the very real ways they are having impact and success through empathy. Today, they share what role play has in organizational success and the common misconceptions of what we mean by a playful culture. We examine how you can embody play to foster impact and collaboration. They share best practices about creative facilitation and experience design and how they teach teams to be in creative flow. We also discuss the barriers that exist to creating more inclusive, empathetic cultures, and what they learned from leaders during The Empathy Tour on how to get past them. If you are a leader in any capacity or industry, this episode is not to be missed! Key Takeaways:Play opens up creativity and imagination, and it decreases the fear of judgment, as well as the pressure and tension of the day-to-day work dynamics. Innovation does not come when employees are being constrained. Play creates an opening for everybody to speak up and participate.Play is an art - do it for its own sake. The first step is listening and making it safe for employees to share their feedback, whether that's anonymously, or openly in a team setting. "Play really opens up the team process, it opens up the human element, it makes empathy and creativity center to a team facilitation process rather than on the side. Ultimately, you end up with results that folks can really get on board with." —  Jyoti Patel About Jyoti Patel and Emily Griffin:Jyoti Patel - Principal and Owner, Spille LLCI teach leaders and teams to harness greater power using empathy, creativity, & systems thinking.I integrate my identities as a global leader of change, a woman of color, an artist, and a mother to design experiences that are inclusive, innovative, and delivered in the context of complex, technical work.For the first act of my career, I led integrated flight test engineering teams, global design/build teams, enterprise learning & development programs, and deep transformations across commercial and defense test programs at a Fortune 50 company. I was on an executive track, when I decided to leave to start my own consultancy.I design and deliver experiences that address the systemic dysfunctions I experienced during my corporate management tenure, including short-term, myopic thinking, systemic bias, poor communication, lack of team alignment, and resistance to change.I believe culture and strategy development is a team sport, and people support what they help create Emily GriffinEmily Griffin is a multidimensional producer with roots in broadcasting, publishing & DJing. She’s led global creative teams in technology, art & entertainment for over 20 years, conducting an array of events, campaigns, courses and digital products. Woven into her professional accomplishments is her commitment to embodiment, healing and transformation. As DJ GriffinGrrl, her ongoing collaborations within the dance music community continue to uplift and inspire. Emily brings her unmatched energy and an empathetic approach to her new consultancy Emily Griffin & Co, offering creative leadership, experience design & facilitation. Connect with Jyoti and Emily:Website: https://www.spilleplay.comWebsite: www.emilygriffin.coDownload your free guidebook with prompts and lessons from leaders: www.theempathytour.coTwitter: https://twitter.com/spilleplayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyotibflyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/spilleplayInstagram: www.instagram.com/spilleplay The Empathy Tour:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/theempathytour/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theempathytour/Twitter: ​​https://twitter.com/EmpathyTourFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theempathytour Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

If we’ve learned anything over the last few years of dealing with a global pandemic, it’s our insatiable human need for connection. I’m not talking about likes on a post, or how many business cards you get to hand out at an event. I’m talking about genuine connection - connections that fuel you, inspire you, make you laugh, and spark ideas. Today, my guest Susan McPherson shares her lifelong commitment to connection in her new book The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Relationships. We talk about how her parent’s pre-social media methods of connecting influenced her connecting philosophy, how her Gather, Ask, Do method works for building generous and meaningful connection, how we can best revitalize our relationships in a post-pandemic world, and the role technology can play now and going forward. Key Takeaways:Having an ongoing curiosity about people is the heart of empathy and the key to connecting. It isn’t about helping 50,000 people. It is about 2-3 actions per week and building them in as a habit. You will receive goodness back and people will remember your connections with them when you’re being helpful. Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself and your connecting. We are all experiencing this global pandemic together, and now is the time to reach out when we are all in this strange situation together.  "We have all these technology tools, so ask the recipient, whether it's a colleague, or a friend, or a donor, or a funder, how they want to be in contact with you. To me, it's a very personal question. We all have our likes and dislikes." —  Susan McPherson About Susan McPherson:Susan McPherson + Founder and CEOSusan McPherson is a serial connector, angel investor, and corporate responsibility expert. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focused on the intersection of brands and social impact. She is the author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Relationships (McGraw-Hill). Susan has 25+ years of experience in marketing, public relations, and sustainability communications, speaking regularly at industry events including Inspirefest/Dublin, BSR, Center for Corporate Citizenship's Annual Summit, DLD and Techonomy, and contributing to the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Forbes. She has appeared on NPR, CNN, USA Today, The New Yorker, New York Magazine and the Los Angeles Times.Susan is the recipient of Forbes magazine’s 50 over 50—Impact 2021 award. She has also won numerous accolades for her voice on social media platforms from Fortune Magazine, Fast Company and Elle Magazine. Currently, Susan invests in and advises women-led start-ups, including: iFundWomen,Inc., Messy.fm, Our Place, The Riveter, Park Place Payments, Hint Water, Apolitical, Arlo Skye, Giapenta and The Muse. She serves on the boards of USA for UNHCR, The 19th News, and the Lower Eastside Girls Club, and serves on the advisory boards of The List and Alltruists. Additionally, she is a member of the MIT Solve Women and Technology Leadership Group and serves as an adviser to several nonprofits, including Girls Who Code, She’s The First, and The OpEd Project. Susan is a Vital Voices global corporate ambassador. She resides in Brooklyn. Connect with Susan McPherson:Book: The Lost Art of ConnectingTwitter: https://twitter.com/susanmcp1LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmcpherson/Facebook:https://m.facebook.com/susanmcpherson1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanmcp1/ Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Your organization has a story. Are you leveraging empathy for your audience and telling it? You may not think story has a place in business, but if you want to engage employees, partners, or customers it most certainly does. Why do stories engage us so much? And how do we craft a good story? Today, my guest, Jerome Deroy, and I break down why storytelling is the way we make connections, get inspired, and take action. We talk about the role of story in onboarding new employees, retaining existing ones, and creating a more inclusive culture. We also share some great ideas on how to make sure your company values actually mean something to your people - and that they truly feel like this is the tribe they want to be part of. You may not think you’re not a natural born storyteller, but guess what? You are and this episode will convince you! Key Takeaways:Everybody has a story, and you can learn to tell it. Ultimately it is about people. Stories are one of the most effective ways to communicate in life and in business. Your unique story lives in the details of your story. The more detailed your story, the more universal your story becomes. Stories bring cultures together, even in a work environment.  "With stories, the more we listen to them and the more we create spaces for people to tell stories, the more they're actually going to be wanting to tell stories. Story begets story." —  Jerome Deroy About Jerome Deroy:Jerome Deroy, CEO, NarativJerome joined Narativ in 2007 after the founders, Murray Nossel and Paul Browde, handed him a shoebox full of notes and said, “We think there’s a company in here.” Jerome had recently left a position at BNP Paribas, Hong Kong, and came to New York to pursue a career in filmmaking. He jumped at the challenge—and transformed Narativ into the business it is today.Through his storytelling work, he has come to understand the power stories have to share culture viscerally, in an engaging and lasting way. Connect with Jerome and Narativ:Check out the website and book a discovery call: https://narativ.comTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/narativLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeromederoy/Facebook:: https://facebook.com/narativInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/narativ Book: Powered by Storytelling by Murray Nossel: https://narativ.com/book/ Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Social intelligence is the capacity to communicate and form relationships with empathy and assertiveness. It comes from knowing yourself and knowing others - and acting with awareness and empathy. Today, I talk with Kelly Cooper, Founder and CEO of the Center for Social Intelligence and author of Lead the Change – The Competitive Advantage of Gender Diversity and Inclusion. We talk about what social intelligence means and the economic impacts to your organization’s bottom line of both action and inaction when it comes to diversity and inclusion. We discuss how inclusion is not just the responsibility of the leader, but of everyone in the organization. She shares specific actions, policies, and mindsets that create inclusion and address diverse experiences.  It all starts with awareness of the other people in the room and how we lift them up and give them a voice. Key Takeaways:The value proposition comes from the result of action and the cost of inaction.Policies are often just pieces of paper. In actuality, it's about how you've made it real for people. The unwritten rules and culture of the company matter just as much as the policies.EQ is something that everyone can learn. It is a muscle that we all have, it is just a matter of how we choose to use and flex that muscle.  "Diversity and inclusion progresses at the speed of empathy. The more empathy you have, the greater likelihood of acceptance." —  Kelly Cooper About Kelly Cooper:Kelly Cooper, Founder and CEO, Centre for Social IntelligenceKelly Cooper has built her career in male-dominated fields, from starting out working in a science and engineering firm, to working in the Canadian federal government, to being on the Canadian delegation for UN meetings where the world first united to address gender diversity in the 1990s. She started her own business in 2012 to help executives and the C-suite understand the value proposition of diversity and inclusion. Through her strategic mindset and insight, she has been able to create blueprints for executive leaders to shift their workplace cultures, with solid economic results. Each step of her career journey is peppered with challenges in the workplace from sexual harassment to pay inequity, which she eventually overcame by diplomatically clarifying boundaries, finding her voice, and working with the leadership to affect change. Kelly’s recent book, Lead the Change – The Competitive Advantage of Gender Diversity and Inclusion’ (GDI),  targets the C-suite to explain the value proposition of GDI and provides a blueprint for how to take action: https://www.centreforsocialintelligence.ca/lead-the-change/ Connect with Kelly CooperBook: Lead the Change: https://www.centreforsocialintelligence.ca/lead-the-change/Website: https://www.centreforsocialintelligence.ca/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Coops_changerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-cooper-6b742966/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centreforsocialintelligence/  Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy  Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

By far, the most popular story from my book The Empathy Edge is the story of Christina Harbridge and her magical collection agency. The story of how she created a culture of empathy that led to transforming a usually bleak work environment into a thriving culture, resulting in success rates 3X the industry average and whose clients would send thank you cards and wedding invitations! How did she do it? What is she doing now? Is the agency still around? These are all questions I get and ones Christina herself is here to talk us through today.We also speak about how she accidentally stumbled on this business model - and how she now teaches leaders to do the same. She shares the biggest obstacles leaders face in transforming their cultures and breaking outdated models - and the financial success that comes from treating employees and customers with dignity, respect, and empathy. Finally, we talk about the important role of systems design in ensuring your company can actually live out it’s values day to day and make them more than a talking point. Key Takeaways:The goal of your first interaction should never be to complete a transaction or whatever your agenda is, but to gather trust and to find out the truth. Empathy is not a strategy. It is a feeling and a mindset. To have a strong team, you need to have people that work differently than you do. Empathy is required to be curious and open to understanding the needs of those teammates.  "What we were doing was filling people's basic need to feel understood, which is an underlying need. That drives commitment." —  Christina Harbridge Christina Harbridge, Mischief Executive Officer, AllegoryChristina Harbridge is a behaviorist who trains and coaches individuals, teams and large groups to understand and leverage their own personal operating system when dealing with others who may or may not be rational.Christina’s early experience as founder and CEO of a debt collection agency that collected debt through unorthodox tactics (such as being nice) shaped her worldview on workplace communication. Employees focused their interactions on filling a person’s need to feel understood through emotionally literate tactics, rather than focusing on trying to collect a debt that may not even have been owed. This values-based tactic, reinforced by bonuses paid on thank-you notes received, reinvigorated the industry by resulting in collections three times higher than the industry average. The proof was in the wedding invitations.Christina has co-authored software, built and sold a successful finance industry company, practiced acrobatic swing dancing, participated as a NASA test subject and collaborated to design and weld several large-scale metal sculptures. She has served her community on the founding boards of The Bay Lights and Emerge America. Her story is covered in more detail in Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why,” Mike Maddock’s “Plan D,” and Maria Ross’ “The Empathy Edge.”She is the author of Swayed: How to Communicate for Impact, which reached number one on Amazon’s ‘Conflict’ category list. Connect with ChristinaWebsite: https://www.allegoryinc.com/team/christina-harbridge/Twitter: https://twitter.com/charbridge?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-harbridge/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allegoryinc/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaharbridge/ Book: Swayed: How to Communicate for Impact https://www.amazon.com/Swayed-Communicate-Impact-Christina-Harbridge/dp/0997296240 Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Caregivers in general, be they moms, dads or those caring for elder parents, are struggling at work right now in very specific ways. What can workplaces do to support them and see things from their point of view? Empathy combined with action will ensure you don’t lose top talent, but instead enable them to thrive and help your company succeed.Today I have the utter joy to talk with Sara Dean, who knows a thing or two about moms and the many hats they wear at work and home. We talk about where exactly empathy is lacking for caregivers and what workplaces can do to better adapt and support them. Then, we switch gears to discuss the best ways to teach your kids empathy and share our personal journeys with our own kids so they can learn to appreciate and celebrate differences. Key Takeaways: If the Corporate world gave all parents permission to be the default parent, we would better understand that everyone needs certain exceptions during certain seasons of their life and it would no longer be looked at unkindly or as weird when a mom needs to feed a baby during a meeting.While workplaces are getting better because of the increased focus on DEI, corporations still need to look at the other identities that are carried by the people in their organization, visible or invisible, that they need to be making space for.There are ways to discuss race with children, as young as 2 or 3, that are age appropriate and healthy. These small conversations will lead to children being inquisitive and wondering what it’s like to live someone else’s experiences and lead with empathy.  "We are all caretaking in really big ways right now. It ‘s important that we recognize the toll that it takes, and then create space for everyone's ‘One disappointment away from breaking.’" —  Sara Dean About Sara Dean, Creator and Host, Shameless Mom Academy PodcastSara Dean is a mindset, business and leadership coach.  She is also the creator and host of the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast, a top rated podcast with almost 4 million downloads.  Sara’s biggest passion is helping women own their space.  After enduring her own identity crisis following the birth of her son, Sara took her background in psychology/health/ wellness and rebuilt her identity, one step at a time.  Sara motivates and inspires women to stop shrinking and start shining.  She is on a mission to inspire women and moms, in particular, to live bigger, bolder, braver #everydamnday.Sara serves women through her podcast, her thriving Momentum Mamas membership community, her Tenacious Mamas business & leadership mastermind and her annual event, Shameless Mom Con (coming this spring!)  When she’s not supporting Shameless Moms, you’ll find Sara with her husband and 8 year old son - building Legos and pretending to understand Minecraft. Connect with Sara Dean:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamelessmom/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/115233012688776Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shamelessmomacademy/Podcast: https://shamelessmom.com/ THANK YOU TO THIS EPISODE’S SPONSOR: HOPE TIMBERLAKEOur guest today is all about helping women shine. But lots of you may feel like you don’t have a voice at work. While I’ve never been told I have a problem speaking up, the truth is that even as an extrovert, I’ve  had moments of fear and discomfort in expressing myself. Maybe I was too junior, or the only whatever in the room, or had an unpopular opinion. We can all relate to those times.Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you follow the rules, complete assignments, or  feel comfortable when you’re prepared.When it comes time to contribute, maybe you lose focus or get interrupted. Or like me, you fly off course and start rambling! Or maybe people overtly intimidating you, making you feel like you don’t have a voice.I want you to know: You have a lot to contribute and your workplace - heck, the WORLD- needs your input. Studies show that diverse viewpoints make for smarter and more successful business decisions. One way to find your voice is to check out Speak Up, Dammit! How to Quiet Your Fears, Polish Your Presence and Share Your Voice, the newest book by Hope TImberlake. Hope is a speaker, trainer and author who focuses on leadership communication. She’s passionate about persuasive messaging, executive presence, and elevating the voices of women and those underrepresented in leadership.  This book is for you if you have a hard time sharing your ideas when: You’re challenged or ignored You’re the most junior person in the room, and haven’t yet established credibility You’re worried your contributions will sound stupid. You don’t feel preparedThe stakes are highOr, you’re the only one in the room who looks like you,  In Speak Up, Dammit! you’ll find inspirational stories, critical tools, lessons,and exercises that will help you, at any level, overcome obstacles and share your voice at work..Hope’s philosophy is focused on empathy. We have so many self critical thoughts inside our heads, and if you take that energy and push it outward, you’l be able to meet your listeners where they are. Have the impact you’ve always wanted to have. Buy the book today at www.HopeTimberlake.com or at your favorite bookseller. And if you want to help your teams confidently share their voices, get a seat at the table, and sound credible, please visit www.HopeTimberlake.com and click on the Speaking tab to learn more about what Hope can deliver to your team.The world needs what you have to offer. Speak now, and don’t forever hold your peace! Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice