The Empathy Edge

When we talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, some leaders still roll their eyes or assume they have bigger fish to fry. But, happily, the trendline shows that companies that can move beyond diversity into true inclusivity experience sustained growth, higher performance, and more revenue. They are the ones harnessing more innovation, attracting top talent, getting more ideas and innovation from their people, and frankly, making smarter business decisions.Today, I talk to Gianna Driver about how DEI efforts support organizational goals and the link between DEI efforts and bottom-line performance. She shares how a company can make the leap from a diverse culture to a truly inclusive one in order to better enjoy those benefits. Gianna shares the ground rules you need to set to make DEI work, and how to be empathetic to - yet manage executive resistance to change. And we talk about her personal story growing up Filipino-American and how it shaped her passion for empowering people. Key Takeaways:People are at the heart and center of everything you do. If you are trying to make a change in your organization, you need to remember that. Healthy relationships have conflict. What matters is not the existence of conflict, but how individuals resolve conflict; the same is true of organizations.We do not leave our humanity at the door when we come to work. Employees need to be treated as humans with respect and multiple facets of their lives. When employees thrive, they bring their best selves to work and have higher performance as a result.  "Conflict is necessary for high performance and innovation. What differentiates are those organizations who have found ways to create spaces where people can respectfully and healthfully disagree and come up with better solutions together." —  Gianna Driver About Gianna Driver, CHRO, ExabeamGianna Driver is Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Exabeam, a global cybersecurity leader that adds intelligence to every IT and security stack. As CHRO, Driver manages the strategy and processes related to building, investing in, and retaining top talent at Exabeam, enabling employees to do their best work. She is responsible for architecting the company’s talent strategy, driving corporate culture and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and leading the global human resources function. Prior to Exabeam, Driver was the Chief People Officer at BlueVine, a private fin-tech company based in Redwood City, CA. Driver has also led HR and People functions in high-growth technology, gaming, consumer, and SaaS organizations including Playstudios, Aristocrat, Actian Corporation, Talend, and Balsam Brands. She is passionate about building high-performance cultures, establishing operational excellence, and creating joy at work. Driver is a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.References MentionedThe Empathy Edge podcast: M.E. Hart: How to Have Honest Conversations at WorkConnect with Gianna DriverWebsite: https://exabeam.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianna-driver-6183391/  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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

If you ask everyone on your team if they know why your company exists, what would they say? And no, "to make money" just won't cut it these days. You might not think such existential ponderings have a place when you're fighting fires, closing deals, and growing the business - but nothing could be more important to your organization's long-term success. Today, we talk with Denise Roberson, who shares her work and research showing that organizations with clear, actionable purposes enjoy many tangible and intangible benefits - profit and longevity being among the most impressive.Today, we talk about what a Chief Purpose Officer does, and we parse out the word salad of purpose, vision, and mission so you have a better understanding on how they all work together. She shares examples from market leaders Unilever and others who are measuring the value and impact of purpose in more accurate ways. We also talk about big mistakes Boards and leaders make when thinking about purpose and what you can do to get maximum benefit instead. Key Takeaways:While vision, mission, and purpose all have different meanings, what is most important is that, within your organization, you are all working with the same vocabulary and all understand what you are talking about and what is most important. Purpose is important for every aspect of business: employees, investors, consumers, customers, and management. Empathy and purpose are important to every company, whether 100 or 100,000 employees. It makes a difference, it gives a business edge, and it is good for the world.  "Purpose has now become a really powerful operating system that goes across the top of the organization. It's a great uniter: It's got this juicy business case that helps attract top talent, reduce turnover, and protects against risks." —  Denise Roberson  About Denise Roberson, Chief Purpose Officer, Omnicom TBWAIn her role as the first-ever Chief Purpose Officer in the Omnicom and TBWA network, Denise is leading some of the biggest brands in the world to actuate their business case for purpose, through focusing on a scalable, differentiated, and business goals oriented approach.  In this capacity, Denise is helping companies connect their brands to value and purpose, and using this unified strategy to create 21st-century value and growth across the entire stakeholder wheel.  TBWA was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and has worked with Fortune 500 and world-class brands around the globe such as Apple, Gatorade, Google, McDonalds, Intuit, Principal Financial Group, and the Grammy’s.Denise is also serving as a marketing professor for Pepperdine University’s Presidents & Key Executives MBA program and has served in a board role for a number of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.Resources Mentioned: Five Mistakes Boards Make When Thinking About Purpose, by Afdhel Aziz, Forbes CMO CouncilConnect with Denise RobersonWebsite: https://tbwa.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniseroberson/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denise.roberson.129Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deniseroberson_purpose/  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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

The "future of work" is not in the future -  It's already here, so let's start calling it the new era of business and work. Especially coming out of the Pandemic, many leaders struggle with how to adapt to changing work requirements, current business challenges, and different employee needs, motivations and demands.Today, Sophie Wade and I talk about how Millennial and Gen Z habits are shaping new social contracts at work, why we understand how hard it is for seasoned executives to adapt to this new reality, and what it takes to create a more human-centric environment. We dig into the challenges of generational differences at work, where they stem from, and how empathy is the way to bridge those distances to increase engagement, understanding, and performance. We also chat about how work has changed from linear and routine to more networked and complex - and why the leadership skills that got you where you are might need a tune-up in today's reality. Sophie will share a few practical ways you can improve your culture. Key Takeaways:The last 3 years of the pandemic has expanded the mindset of learning and leading - ideas are now more likely to come from all levels of the organization than before. There is a difference between using technology functionally and using technology intuitively. The same goes for the evolving workplace. Younger generations are more likely to adapt to changing work environments than older generations because it is all they have known. AI is not replacing your job. AI cannot replace the human touch and human interactions and human relationships.  "Many leaders now are missing out on the contributions of their youngest employees who have a feeling for the power of technology that we just can't have." —  Sophie WadeAbout Sophie Wade, Work Futurist, International Keynote Speaker, Author of Empathy WorksSophie Wade is a work futurist, international keynote speaker, author of Empathy Works, and authority on Future-of-Work issues. She is the host of the widely popular Transforming Work podcast and over 450,000 learners have taken her four LinkedIn courses which cover empathy, Future-of-Work skills, and Gen Z. Sophie is the Founder and Workforce Innovation Specialist at Flexcel Network, a Future-of-Work consultancy. Sophie’s executive advisory work and transformative workshops help companies adapt and update their work environments and attract, engage, and retain their multigenerational and distributed talent. She helps corporations maximize the benefits and minimize the disruption in their transition to talent-focused, digitalized work environments.Connect with Sophie WadeWebsite: https://www.sophiewade.com/Her Book: Empathy Works: The Key to Competitive Advantage in the New Era of WorkPodcast: Transforming Work: https://www.sophiewade.com/podcasts/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASophieWadeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-wade-380b8/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophie.wade.507Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asophiewade/References Mentioned:The Empathy Edge Podcast, Lisen Stromberg, What Modern Leaders and Cultures Need to Succeed in the 21st CenturyThe Empathy Edge Podcast, Edwin Rutsch: How “Empathy Circles” Can Change the World  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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

Talking about racism is hard. But ignoring it doesn't make it go away. Empathy requires us to be humble and curious and to sometimes have hard, honest, emotional conversations. Only in acknowledging wrongs can we make things right -and that actually benefits all of us. Today, my guest Saira Rao gets real about the role seemingly well-intentioned and even Liberal white women play in supporting the patriarchy and oppression. Our conversation goes far deeper than DEI efforts - which Saira will share her opinions on. We talk about how Race2Dinner got started, what Saira experienced in her run for Congress a few years ago, how she and Regina’s voices have been both censored and maligned by major media, both in the US and the UK. We also talk about why white women's conditioning to be nice and not rock the boat is killing people of color, and the hard choices we need to make if we truly want to save our country and communities. As Saira says in the interview, we are dying and we need to take risks, become aware, and have hard conversations with each other. As she states, once white supremacy goes away, many of our societal problems will go away, too. Key Takeaways:White women have more power than they know, but consistently choose whiteness over everything else. You have the power to talk about racism and to make changes. So do it.It takes all kinds of people, of all backgrounds, to do this work. Start the conversations, point out the inequalities around you, and start doing the work on yourself first.Individualism is colonialist behavior. White supremacy hurts everyone, including white people.There is nothing micro about a microaggression. "The amount of energy white women spend - time, money, and energy - to say ‘not me,’ use that energy to go turn other white women - your neighbors, kids, friends, parents, teachers. Get to work. Instead of patting yourselves on the back, start turning other people in your community. Because we can't. You can." —  Saira Rao"Let's start feeling comfortable having these conversations. We're not going to be able to affect any change until we start being honest with ourselves and each other." —  Saira Rao About Saira Rao, Co-Founder, Race2DinnerSaira Rao is the co-founder of Race2Dinner, New York Times Bestselling co-author of White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How To Do Better and co-subject and Executive Producer of the documentary Deconstructing Karen.Saira grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the daughter of Indian immigrants. For forty years, she wasted her precious time aspiring to be white and accepted by dominant white society, a futile task for anyone not born with white skin.  Several years ago, Saira began the painful process of dismantling her own internalized oppression.  Saira is a lawyer-by-training, a former congressional candidate, a published novelist and an entrepreneur.Connect with Saira RaoRace2Dinner: https://www.race2dinner.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/sairasameeraraoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sairarao/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sairarao/White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How To Do Better: https://www.amazon.com/White-Women-Everything-Already-Racism-ebook/dp/B09RPPV3B8/Documentary: Deconstructing Karen 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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

You don't have to wait for empathy to strike. You can intentionally choose to engage in what my guest today calls Purposeful Empathy to change the dynamic of any interaction. But how? And how do you maintain your own boundaries when being empathic is part of your job?  Today, my guest, Anita Nowak, shares what purposeful empathy is, how and when to engage it, and even how to step back and reclaim your boundaries when empathy could burn you out. We both share personal stories of when we've actively chosen empathy in tough situations and how it transformed the exchange. We discuss the physiological changes to  our bodies that occur when we are engaged in empathy - and how empathogens, or certain psychedelics that have been shown to increase empathy, could be applied for therapeutic treatments to heal trauma, control aggression, or other instances where human connection can be challenging.  Key Takeaways:We are born empathetic creatures, that is how our species has survived. For those who think they aren’t empathetic, that muscle has atrophied and can be rebuilt again. Our brains cannot be in a state of anxiety or stress and in the state of empathy simultaneously.There has been a resurgence of research on the study of psychedelics and the potential it has for therapy. Previous research showed a positive relationship between taking these drugs, being accompanied by a trained professional, and outcomes as a result.  "When it comes to the way we design our world, the way we design public policy, the way that we think about foreign aid, the way we think about how we treat each other and our families and our relationships across political divides, that we need to engage in empathy on purpose." —  Anita Nowak"If you're feeling triggered by emotions, and you want to down regulate or self regulate, one of the best on ramps to empathy is through a little visit of gratitude." —  Anita Nowak"We, as human beings, want a sense of belonging by nature. That's how we survived as a as Homo sapiens. We really need to draw on that." —  Anita Nowak About Anita Nowak, PhD, Author of Purposeful EmpathyAnita Nowak, PhD is passionate about leveraging empathy for personal, organizational and social transformation. She is also dedicated to teaching and mentoring the next generation of changemakers.She is a two-time TEDx speaker and author of Purposeful Empathy: Tapping Our Hidden Superpower for Personal, Organizational, and Social Change (Broadleaf Books, April 2023). She hosts a podcast and YouTube series by the same name, dedicated to amplifying the voices of people from around the globe who understand the world needs more empathy – and are doing something about it.For the past fifteen years, Anita has held various leadership roles in higher education at McGill University dedicated to social innovation. She teaches Leadership, Ethics in Management and Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Desautels Faculty of Management. She was named Professor of the Year in 2014 and 2019 and recipient of the David Johnston Faculty and Staff Award in 2021.As a certified personal and professional coach, she helps purpose-driven leaders and organizations create cultures of empathy through her boutique advisory firm, Purposeful Empathy by Design. Anita also advises High Net Worth (HNW) families to translate their philanthropic goals into social impact.Resources Mentioned:How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence (https://michaelpollan.com/books/how-to-change-your-mind/#:~:text=In%20his%20latest%20book%2C%20How,addiction%2C%20depression%2C%20or%20death.) by Michael PollanPurposeful Empathy: The Connection between Empathy and “Oneness” ft. Elif M. Gokcigdem, PhD (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a696LvTAyiE)A Force for Good: The Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World (https://www.amazon.com/Force-Good-Dalai-Lamas-Vision/dp/0553394894/ ) by Daniel Goleman We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

Racism was designed to keep us apart, It was designed to create conflict and a scarcity mindset. When we're socialized to hide our authentic selves and not bring who we really are to every interaction, we just cannot connect. Leaders, whether tackling diversity and inclusion or just everyday engagement and performance, can learn a lot of lessons about how authenticity and connection lead to better outcomes.My guest today, Berwick Mahdi Davenport, and I tackled big questions for amazingly useful insights.  We discussed what is the ultimate human need, what role authentic connection plays in satisfying that need, and how listening is the hardest but most effective practice for leaders. We defined honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity in meaningful ways you can apply to your leadership right now, and how the lack of them gets in the way of effective performance. Finally, we talked about how racism and racial inequity play out in the workplace and society, preventing us from creating together and making smarter decisions.Key Takeaways:When you talk less and listen more, your leadership will transform. The ultimate human need is significance - this can look like a job package, a job title, a connection, relationships, love, and so much more. But it is all the same thing - they want to matter.When we are not authentic to ourselves and to those around us, people notice and feel that, and it causes a disconnect within ourselves. Everybody deserves to have the respect and space to grow. Nobody gets to where they are now overnight."What we have to realize as a leader is that you cannot pay people anything of equal value, no matter how much it is, to their life. Please don't forget to live, because this thing happens so quickly." —  Berwick Mahdi DavenportAbout Berwick Mahdi Davenport, CEO, Soul Focused GroupMahdi, CEO of Soul Focused Group, brings over thirty years of experience as a practicing life coach and anti-racist organizer, facilitator, and spiritual teacher. Mahdi’s primary focus has been and continues to be facilitating human connection that helps people recover and heal from racism and other forms of mental and emotional trauma. This expertise and passion allowed Mahdi to expertly hold space for leaders to explore and heal from the cultural programming that allows racism to sustain.Mahdi brings patience, wisdom, and lightning-bolt directness to his mission.  He is an alchemist at creating space for healing to make a new way of seeing possible.Mahdi's honest, transformative, and healing approach at facilitating human connection gives birth to genuine relationships, friendships, and partnerships. People who once didn’t see eye to eye find themselves standing on common ground. The shift happens on common ground.References Mentioned:The Empathy Edge podcast with Paul Marobella: https://theempathyedge.com/paul-marobella-leading-through-crisis/The Empathy Edge podcast with Daniel Jahn: https://theempathyedge.com/daniel-jahn-racial-solidarity-and-the-psychology-of-racism/The Empathy Edge podcast with M.E. Hart: https://theempathyedge.com/m-e-hart-how-to-bridge-divisions-by-embracing-our-common-humanity/The Empathy Edge podcast with M.E. Hart: https://theempathyedge.com/m-e-hart-how-to-have-honest-conversations-at-work/Connect with Berwick Mahdi DavenportEmail: berwickdavenport@gmail.comSoul Focused Group: https://www.soulfocusedgroup.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berwick-mahdi-davenport-3494a42Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/berwick.davenportInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesoulfocusedgroup/Their New Workshop: Creating Human Solidarity: The Solution To Ending RacismDon’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathyConnect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

Great leaders are self-aware about their own strengths and encourage their teams to be as well. They harmonize everyone's strengths, including their own, so folks know when to lean in or rely on others.  These leaders actively leverage strengths to achieve high performance, but it starts with being willing and curious about your strengths.Today, Brandon Miller and I talk about the GALLUP Clifton Strengths Finder - and I share a little about my results from 2016, and how they led to researching and writing The Empathy Edge! Brandon shares why you as a leader should care about strengths-based development, and the role emotional intelligence plays in it. We discuss the strength of empathy and how it influences organizational outcomes. And Brandon tells us about times when he's had to recommend decision makers use empathy to support their teams. We even talk about the shadow sides of some of the strengths. It’s a fascinating discussion all you leaders and aspiring leaders will just love - and Brandon has a very special offer for all of you at the end, so stay tuned. Key Takeaways:Emotional intelligence, at its core, is thinking with our frontal lobe. It's just thinking logically, carefully and, at times, slowly, through situations.The strength of empathy and the dictionary definition of empathy are not the same thing. Even if you do not have the strength of empathy, you can be empathetic. Utilizing the strengths finder will allow your team to have a common language to talk about your strengths. "Any effective psychometric assessment gives the gift of self-awareness. I get to know myself and my best place, my worst place, and everything in the middle. If I can get to the point where I know myself that way, without judgment, I have climbed the ladder of emotional intelligence." —  Brandon Miller About Brandon Miller, Author, Certified Strengths Coach, CEOBrandon Miller is one of the FIRST 7 Certified GALLUP Clifton Strengths Finder Coaches in the world. Over 15 years ago, he was a very early practitioner of Clifton StrengthsFinder using it as the Executive Leader for a non-profit organization. He has since coached hundreds of leaders to find and leverage their strengths for themselves and their teams. He is the CEO of 34 Strong, a coaching and consulting firm dedicated to improving employee engagement. He has nearly 15 years of experience providing specialized leadership training, coaching, advising, and facilitating.Brandon is also the Co-Founder of Incredible Family, a consulting agency that educates, empowers, and encourages working parents to take a strengths-based approach to parenting in order to unlock their best selves and raise strong, happy children and teens. He and his wife Analyn Miller are successful business owners, parents to seven children, and authors of Play To Their Strengths and Incredible Parent.Brandon's Special Offer!If you're interested in taking the Clifton Strengths Finder assessment for FREE to learn more about your strengths, please email Brandon at brandon@34strong.com for complimentary test access.Connect with Brandon Miller34Strong: https://34strong.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/brandon34strongLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-miller-873a6bb/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/analynbrandonBook: Play to Their Strengths by Analyn and Brandon Miller https://www.amazon.com/Play-Their-Strengths-Approach-Parenting/dp/0736976175Book: Incredible Parent by Analyn and Brandon Millerhttps://www.amazon.com.mx/Incredible-Parent-Parenting-Strengths-Confidence/dp/0736981691 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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

It's already time to make space in your exceedingly full schedule to plan your goals for next year. So why does this happen to us, every year? I propose it's because we go about planning all wrong. We start with all the things we think we “should” want, rather than focus on what's already going right and setting intentions into motion that not only get us where we want to go, but give us more ease, flow, and clarity. Today,I share how you can set meaningful goals based on your values and some different ways you can look at planning for the new year. And how a new perspective  on asking the right question can lead to more joy, ease - and success.  Happy holidays, in whatever way you celebrate and catch you in the new year. Thank you for being part of my community!  Key Takeaways:Your values can support your goals, rather than being contorted to fit after the fact. You can set meaningful goals for your business, just like you can for yourself, you just need to understand who you, as a company, want to be in the next year. When you ask questions about how your employees and stakeholders feel about your organization, the goals that are made after that understanding will be supported by the understood culture and mission. "It is possible to holistically align our professional and personal goals for more joy, but only if they're supported by asking the right questions." —  Maria Ross References Mentioned:Book: Who Do I Want to Become? 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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

We all know that when it comes to leadership and accomplishing a mission, the US Military is hard to beat. But we think we understand what that means - it's actually not about cold commands or ranks and titles. If you want to become a more effective leader, then tune in! My guests, John Buford and Sean Georges, both former military leaders themselves, unpack the fundamentals of good leadership so you can be more effective.Jonn and Sean view leadership as a real, human-centric responsibility, not a romanticized, mythical calling. Today we talk about what authentic leadership really means, why leadership doesn’t derive from power, and how to put people and a shared mission at the heart of your leadership model. They share how military leadership principles can lead to business success (and why some civilian leaders misunderstand what that means) and the important difference between leading and managing. We discuss the mistakes well-intentioned leaders make, and how to balance supporting your team and being human with strength, confidence, and excellence. Enjoy these practical and timeless leadership lessons. Key Takeaways:There is a responsibility of care and service that comes with real leadership. It’s not about demanding and ordering, it’s about serving with your team for the larger mission. The best leaders don’t need to remind you that they outrank you; they serve you. Leadership doesn’t work the way an org chart looks. Being a follower first will allow you to better understand and empathize with those you are later leading.  "Real, authentic leadership is an upside-down world:  It’s you at the bottom, conceptually influencing from that place looking up at your teammates, in alignment with mission." —  John BufordAbout John Buford, Ph.D., Co-founder, On MissionJohn Buford served as a Marine Corps officer for more than 20 years, conducting operations overseas and teaching at officer training schools. After retiring from the Marines, John earned a doctoral degree in education (training and performance improvement specialization) and became a certified wilderness medicine instructor, college professor, and outdoor educator. He is the co-founder of On Mission Leadership, a certified leadership coach, professional wilderness guide, whitewater kayak/canoe and sea kayak instructor, human performance consultant, and board member of several nonprofit organizations.About Sean Georges, J.D., LL.M., Co-Founder, On MissionServant Leader, retired General Counsel and SVP of Human Resources for a publicly traded retailer with 5,000 employees in 400 stores; Naval Academy Graduate and Marine Corps Officer and Judge Advocate; Law degrees from the University of Illinois and The Judge Advocate General's School of the Army at the University of Virginia.References Mentioned: Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon SinekThe Empathy Edge podcast interview with Val Ries: How to Be the Leader Everyone Wants to Work ForConnect with John and Sean:Website: https://onmissionleaders.comBook: On Mission: Your Journey to Authentic Leadership https://onmissionbook.com/John Buford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-john-buford-340b37a/Sean Georges on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-georges-031b486/  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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!

As we slide into Thanksgiving here in the United States, I'm facing mixed emotions about this holiday as I get older and wiser. Now, don't get me wrong, I have a lot to be thankful for, but let's talk for a second about the myth of thanksgiving. From a traditional perspective, gathering with friends and family and reflecting on all we have to be grateful for holds comfort and joy. No matter how dysfunctional our communities or our families may be, many of us are able to come together on this holiday, to eat amazing food, watch the kids play, catch some football, and gracefully sidestep any divisive political debates, which in recent years has taken on a whole new level of Herculean effort, but having a more realistic understanding of the roots of this holiday, gives me pause. Listen in to hear about the true story of the first Thanksgiving, get some tips around being truthful and compassionate, while still honoring tradition, and recognize the evolution of knowledge and truth and how it can help us to become better as humans. Happy Thanksgiving to all who are listening! Key Takeaways:The first Thanksgiving was a harvest festival, not a banquet that the pilgrims and indigenous people were both invited to, and after which, relationships turned sour.We can be honest and still honor our own family traditions.We can’t have conversations around empathy without acknowledging that one of the country's most revered holidays is a false picture of history, and has roots in oppression.Shatter facades and replace them with something that is honest, true, and loving, both in your personal life and in your professional life.  "Please don't be afraid of how our knowledge evolves, even if it means uncomfortable mindset shifts. That's how we get better over time as humans." —  Maria Ross  References: Jasmine Bradshaw, First Name Basis podcast, The Untold Story of Thanksgiving (Encore)The Empathy Edge podcast: Elisa Camahort Page: The Art of Empathy in Politics, Activism, and Media BSThe Empathy Edge podcast: M.E. Hart: How to Have Honest Conversations at WorkThe Empathy Edge podcast: Mónica Guzmán: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Divided Political TimesThe Empathy Edge podcast: David Weissman: From MAGA to Jewish Liberal Progressive   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 and her work: 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 would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!