The Empathy Edge

Burnout is costing us more than we think, but new research has emerged that shows empathetic leadership can help prevent burnout. My guest today, Davida Ginter, helps leaders and organizations prevent burnout so they can scale impact. We talk about how leaders can better sustain themselves and set boundaries to avoid burnout. We discuss how you can start building a practice of emotional resilience to better face adversity, and we bust some myths about empathy and self-care that could be getting in your way of success or even your physical health. Key Takeaways:When we suffer and don't cultivate self empathy, we aren’t giving more empathy to other people, it only means that our energy will be depleted over time.When we maintain our boundaries, we can still respect others, and we can also respect ourselves. It is not a matter of finding time, it is a matter of prioritizing time. We need to prioritize ourselves and take time for ourselves to avoid burnout and build our resilience.  "It's not egoistic to take care of ourselves. It is exactly what will help us maintain our well being and also allow us to serve other people." —  Davida Ginter About Davida Ginter: Davida Ginter, Co-Founder & CEO, Enkindle GlobalDavida Ginter is the Co-founder and CEO of Enkindle Global and the author of the book Burning Out Won't Get You There. She specializes in Participatory Leadership processes, and operates on a global scale to support leaders and organizations in preventing burnout, cultivating well being, and developing emotional resilience. Connect with Davida:  Website : https://davidaginter.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davida-ginter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davida.ginter/The Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9659277709/Referenced Harvard Business Review Article: https://hbr.org/2020/09/preventing-burnout-is-about-empathetic-leadership 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

How does a company lead with their values and, as a result, achieve phenomenal success for itself and its customers? Today, I talk with Nate Smith, the CEO and co-founder of Lever, a leading talent relationship management solution that makes it easy for talent teams to reach their hiring goals and to connect companies with top talent. Lever leads by example by leading with their values, both internally and externally, Nate and I talk about how they have weathered the storm and come out stronger than ever over this past year and how the company’s value of “cross-functional empathy” engages both employees and customers and helps them do their jobs better. He shares what leading with your values looks like and offers practical tips on what to think about, define, and share for your own organization. We also talk about the recruiting industry in general and how making this process more empathetic leads to better relationships between hiring managers and recruiters, and better brand experiences with candidates. Key Takeaways:Start conversations with a pause before launching into the topic and give people space for those in the conversation. When you’re going through times of difficulty, making people feel heard is just such a significant way that you can show kindness to each other and provide strength.When you are interviewing a candidate, it’s not just about what they can do for you, but what you can do for them. They are interviewing you as well.  "Cross-functional empathy is understanding that we all have different things that we bring. When we can work together, we can leverage those different perspectives to be more successful together in a way that we can never do on our own." —  Nate Smith About Nate Smith:Nate Smith, CEO and Co-founder, LeverNate leads Lever in its mission to offer talent leaders the reach of a marketing leader, the forecast of a sales leader, and the insight of a finance leader in a unified TRM platform. He’s passionate about enterprise software’s potential for business transformation, user experience, and human connection. Prior to Lever, Nate was a product manager on Google Analytics and the Google Search team. He led the first major redesign of Google’s image search UI, which launched in July 2010. Nate received a degree in electrical and computer engineering from Olin College, at which he was a member of the school’s second-ever graduating class. Connect with Nate:  Website: www.lever.coLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nateps 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Empathy is more than just how we live and interact with one another.  It is also related to technology, products, and our stewardship of the environment. Today, I speak with James Ehrlich, whose extraordinary innovation in neighborhood design fits in with this empathetic style of living. James talks about his “smart neighborhood” that nourishes itself and lives in harmony with the environment to create its own sustainable and organic food sources, and uses technology to ensure everyone has the equitable resources they need to thrive. Even more than that, these neighborhoods and villages not only leverage amazing, unprecedented technology, they also redefine “community” and recreate a full story arc in a compassionate, and empathetic way.  Key Takeaways:As living organisms, we have never, in history, been more disassociated from the natural world, but we can change that. It is the element of imagination and possibility combined that are needed to move civilization forward. We will start seeing these neighborhoods of the future become more commonplace in the next five to ten years.  "We want to see communities as a full story arc. That is compassionate, empathic living." —  James Ehrlich About James Ehrlich:James Ehrlich is Founder of ReGen Villages Holding, B.V. a Stanford University spin-off company formed in the EU to realize the future of living in regenerative and resilient communities, with critical life support of organic food, clean water, renewable energy and circular nutritional flows at the neighborhood scale. Mr. Ehrlich is also an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Stanford University School of Medicine Flourishing Project, Faculty at Singularity University, Senior Fellow at NASA Ames Research Center Opus Novum Consortium, and (Obama) White House Appointee for Regenerative Infrastructure. Mr. Ehrlich Ehrlich founded ReGen Villages as a Dutch (EU) impact-profit company in 2016, with its patented VillageOS™ operating system software to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to define, design and autonomously manage regenerative neighborhoods that promote healthy long-term outcomes for residents and wider communities. ReGen Villages are planned for global replication and scale in collaboration with established industrial partners, universities, governments and sovereign wealth and pension funds, enabling an optimistic post-COVID green transition.Mr. Ehrlich is a serial entrepreneur in software and media, with over 15-years case study research on organic, bio-dynamic family farms, intentional communities, ecovillages, co-living and collaborative communities. An award winning National Public Television producer and co-author of a best-selling book on “Organic Living” (Hachette, 2007), Mr. Ehrlich brings his seasoned background in software design and development to the expression of creating a ‘digital mycelia network,’ connecting nature with data, for the benefit of people and planet.Born and raised in New York City, Mr. Ehrlich moved to Silicon Valley to start a successful video game and media technology software company in 1989. Mr. Ehrlich holds a Bachelors Degree from New York University in computer science and media, and has completed Master studies from Stanford University in mechanical engineering, where he continues to lecture and do research on the science of flourishing. Connect with James:Website: ReGenVillages.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jamesehrlich 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

We can all think of quotes or books that have instantly ignited something inside of you - inspiration or desire to take action - but what about sales and marketing copy? Messages that touch something deep inside of you and give you chills when you read them? My guest today, Alexandra Franzen, is a gifted writer who writes words that speak to your heart and make you stop in your tracks. It doesn’t matter if it’s an inspirational message on her blog, or marketing copy to attend a cool new event or buy a new course. She has a magical gift for writing with empathy. Today, we discuss exactly how you can write with more empathy and how to create a human connection as an online or digital business. There are so many great tips and advice on today’s show that will make your business more successful and ensure you are more intentional about your customer’s experience and journey. Key Takeaways:When you hire the right people, you can still have the same sense of intimacy and care with your customers, especially as your business grows. You create the culture you hire for. You create the culture you reward. You can stay connected and engaged with your customers even without social media. You just need to be diligent and consistent about it, however you choose to do it.  "Whenever I’m working with a client or writing something for my own business, I like to imagine one customer and ask, ‘What would feel like a miracle for this person, right now?’" —  Alexandra Franzen About Alexandra Franzen:Alexandra Franzen, Writer and EntrepreneurAlexandra Franzen is a writer, consultant, and entrepreneur based in Hawaii.Her sixth book is The Checklist Book: Set Realistic Goals, Celebrate Tiny Wins, Reduce Stress and Overwhelm, and Feel Calmer Every Day. Other books include You’re Going to Survive and So This Is the End: A Love Story. She has written articles for Time, Forbes, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, and Lifehacker. Her work has been mentioned in The New York Times Small Business Blog, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Times, and Inc. She writes about a wide range of topics: life, love, death, grief, unplugging from technology, creativity, focus, productivity, simplicity, time–and how we spend it. Alexandra is the founder of the Tiny Press, a publishing imprint specializing in very short books–100 pages or less. Tiny Press books include Say It Now by Sherry Richert-Belul (#1 Amazon New Release), Wishwork by Alexa Fischer (featured on Good Morning America), and Your Next Level Life by Karen Arrington (nominated for 2020 NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Instructional Literary Work). Connect with Alexandra:  Website: AlexandraFranzen.comCourse Website: YouCanGetItDone.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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Is it really possible to balance purpose and profit? My guest, Phil Preston, the business purpose guide, talks about how it’s not only possible, it’s profitable! On today’s show, we discuss exactly what purpose is (and what it isn’t), and the criteria for a great purpose statement. We’ll talk about how modern business mindsets are evolving with some examples of how purpose-driven organizations benefit financially from a brand perspective, and how purpose leads to profit growth. Finally, we’ll discuss the first steps leaders can take to align profits with purpose. Sit back, enjoy, and take heart that there is proof that, as I always say, cash flow, creativity and compassion are not mutually exclusive! Key Takeaways:Philanthropy is great, but it is not enough on its own. You also need to align your business with purpose every day. Your purpose statement should be scoping, not too broad and not too specific, inspiring to your people, tells your customers what you stand for, is easy to communicate, and is durable. When you’re gathering input on your purpose statement, do it with intention.  "Hope is not a great strategy. You've actually got to define what success is going to look like." —  Phil Preston About Phil Preston:Phil PrestonBusiness Purpose GuidePhil left a comfortable corporate career where he oversaw $50 billion of investments to help companies go beyond symbolic acts of charity and align social and environmental challenges with core and profitable business. As an independent practitioner he helps executives and leaders across all sectors navigate the transition to the new economy, and is the author of Connecting Profit With Purpose. Connect with Phil:  Website: philpreston.com.auTwitter: twitter.com/PurposePrestonLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/phil-prestonFacebook: facebook.com/connectingprofitwithpurposeInstagram:: instagram.com/purposeprestonBook: philpreston.com.au/book-connecting-profit-with-purpose-shared-value 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Right now, our interactions feel prickly and pointed so maybe it’s time to come back to our human roots and embrace humanity’s oldest leadership trait: empathy. That’s what today’s guest, Mimi Nicklin, has devoted her work to advocating. Mimi and I discuss what softening the edges means in practice and how empathetic leaders show up. We also talk about finding empathy across generations in the workplace, about balancing humanism with capitalism, and also how her diverse cultural experience has helped her find commonalities rather than differences across cultures. Key Takeaways:All creativity comes from a tension point - and you have to be able to express that. Empathy leads to a decrease in self-censorship and an increase in creativity and innovation.It’s not just about the feelings. It’s about the way we think and the way we get things done.To empathize is not to agree, to empathize is to understand. If there has ever been a time to voice change, it is now. "Curiosity is the foundation of all humanity." —  Mimi Nicklin About Mimi Nicklin:Mimi Nicklin, Bestselling Author and Empathetic Leadership CoachMimi Nicklin is the internationally bestselling author of ‘Softening The Edge’ and the host of the ‘Empathy for Breakfast’ breakfast show & podcast. She is an experienced marketer and communications strategist, a well-known empathetic coach, and a contributor, advocate and content creator for the global movement to balance humanism and capitalism.An empathy advocate, Mimi has spent over fifteen years working across the globe with multinational and Fortune 500 clients to drive stand out creative interventions that lead to business and culture change. Driven by the pursuit of bringing conscientiousness to the role and impact of ‘Regenerative Leadership’ in business and society, with a desire to make the world of work a more empathetic, valuable and sustainably healthy place to be, Mimi’s first leadership book was a bestseller before it even reached the stores. Having lived and worked in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cape Town, Havana, Madrid, Johannesburg and Dubai, Mimi has studied humanity & culture from within across 25 global markets and her approach changes organisations from the inside out; focusing on cultural understanding alongside behavioural and mindset change.  Connect with Mimi:  Website: miminicklin.com Instagram: instagram.com/miminicklinTwitter: twitter.com/MimiNicklinTiktok: tiktok.com/@miminicklinPodcast: empathyforbreakfast.com. Book: Softening The Edge - amazon.com/Softening-Edge-humanitys-leadership-changing-ebook/dp/B08GQ4Y9GK  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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

What makes a great leader? The leader everyone is dying to work with, the leader whose team is so engaged, motivated, and high-performing that others in the company wonder how the heck they make it happen? My guest, Val Ries, believes everyone can be that kind of leader - a leader who serves as Chief Inspiration Officer, no matter how big or small their team. In today’s episode, we discuss what exactly a Chief Inspiration Officer is and how to get there, and we talk about how to create microcultures for success. Val reveals a magic phrase for flipping your definition of leadership so you can be super successful, and offers 4 pillars to becoming a leader everyone wants to work with - and shows you exactly where to start.  Key Takeaways:Accountability is the key to the success of any team or organization. Employees CRAVE: Connection, Reliability, Appreciation, feeling Valued, and Effective communication.Embrace your humanity as you rise through the ranks. Be willing to admit you don’t have all the answers and that you aren’t the only one who can do something “right.” "We're lifelong learners. I don't think we're ever going to perfect anything - there's always room to see it in a different way or hear a different perspective." —  Val Ries About Val Ries:Val Ries, Leadership Expert and  Author of Chief Inspiration OfficerVal has over twenty year’s experience transforming teams, and understands exactly the hardships many leaders face. She is the author of Chief Inspiration Officer: How to Lead the team Everyone Wants to Be On. Thrust into a leadership role with no training or support, Val had to figure out on her own how to create top performing teams.Now, together with her team, they teach unique leadership methods that are proven to turn around departments, retain top talent and increase revenue. Fortune 500 companies have partnered with her company, Executive Muse to transform their culture and increase employee engagement. Connect with Val:  Website: executive-muse.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/valriesFacebook: facebook.com/executivemuseInstagram: instagram.com/executivemuse 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Nearly every high performer has something that keeps them from fully stepping into their confidence of ownership around their finances. But did you know the key to not only being successful with money yourself, but understanding your spouse, colleagues, or employees is empathy? Today, I get to speak with Michelle Arpin Begina, a financial advisor who believes we all need to examine the money stories, scripts, and lessons that affect our financial psychology so that we can rethink what we know about money to have more of it. We talk about how your childhood impacts your money story and beliefs long into adulthood, how financial advisors are evolving to better partner with clients by understanding the emotions they have behind their money, and how you can better understand your money story (as well as that of your spouse, colleagues, or partners) and how it’s impacting your bottom line at work and at home. Key Takeaways:We need to be more focused on the money psychology than we are about the money math.  Some progressive school districts are adding this to the curriculum.We get messages communicated to us, covertly and overtly, by our parents about money. Those become our money scripts, which are our subconscious beliefs about money. If money were a math equation, we'd be ruthless in cutting our expenses and we would be as aggressive as we possibly can be with our money. Almost no one can live that way.We listen each other off the ledge. It pays to get insanely curious about who you are talking to and be comfortable in the silent moments.  "We find that when delivering numerical or financial information to prove our case and that person is not able to get their mind around it to take action, that tells you right there, there’s something emotional going on." —  Michelle Arpin Begina About Michelle Arpin Begina:Michelle Arpin Begina, CFP®, CIMA®Financial Advisor and Founder, MichelleAB.com Michelle Arpin Begina is an advisor, author and speaker who has used the money lessons from her life to rethink how financial advisors and their clients have traditionally worked together. Rather than thinking of her role as a gatekeeper of portfolios, she sees real value in being a gateway to personal financial freedom. To support her clients on their unique wealth journeys, Michelle is a technician of financial planning, investment, and wealth management. But what differentiates Michelle from other financial advisors is that she has spent the last two-plus decades studying the unconventional, non-financial aspects of life satisfaction, financial therapy (it’s a thing), behavioral bias, choice, and decision advising.She believes we all need to examine the money stories, scripts, and lessons that affect our financial psychology so that we can rethink what we know about money to have more of it.Michelle lives in Wyckoff, NJ with her husband, Mike and sons, Alex and Nick. She is an avid photographer – her sons are her favorite subject! Connect with Michelle:  Website (and download her Good with Money Success Formula Guide): MichelleAB.comInstagram: instagram.com/michellearpinbeginaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michellearpinbeginacfp 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

Success is not easy; it's hard work. That might seem obvious, but many experts have made a fortune selling “secrets” to hungry entrepreneurs to make them think the road will be easy. While super rewarding, entrepreneurship is definitely not easy. No one knows this better than my guest, John Lee Dumas. Today, John and I talk about his first traditionally published book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success, about the REAL reason why entrepreneurs fail at a high percentage and how people have been lied to by online business “experts.”  John shares lessons from over 3000 interviews with successful entrepreneurs, and lets you in on a great practice that enabled him to build his business, determine new products, and keep him in lock step with his fan base through empathy and compassion to provide real value.  Key Takeaways:People don’t want weak, pale imitations of something else. They want your big idea that is authentic and true to the core of you. You choose your own “hard”. Which path are you more willing to put the hard work into?When it comes to being empathetic to your audience, you need to do things that do not scale.  "The world needs more people living in their zone of fire, bringing their best to the forefront, living in their best universe, and creating their best greatness." —  John Lee Dumas About John Lee Dumas:John Lee Dumas, Founder and host, Entrepreneurs on FireJohn Lee Dumas is the founder and host of the award winning podcast, Entrepreneurs On Fire. With over 100 million listens of his 3000+ episodes, JLD has turned Entrepreneurs On Fire into a media empire that generates over a million listens every month and 7-figures of NET annual revenue 8-years in a row. His first traditionally published book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success is available for pre-order now with 5 amazing bonuses at UncommonSuccessBook.com Connect with JohnBook: uncommonsuccessbook.comWebsite: eofire.comPodcast: eofire.com/podcastTwitter: twitter.com/johnleedumasInstagram: instagram.com/johnleedumas 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice.

Innovation is such a buzzword in many companies and organizations, but how often do we think about innovating our organizations and the way they run? What if your organization had no managers? What if everyone was committed to a mission, stepped up to lead, and collaborated effectively, with honesty, to get things done and move forward? It's not a pipe dream. It's possible and many organizations are making it happen with great results today. In my conversation today with Brent Lowe and Susan Basterfield, two of the authors of Lead Together, we answer these questions and look at new, innovative ways of running these organizations. We'll talk about what it means to be a Lead Together organization, dispel myths about what it means to remove job titles and managers, and what are the most critical skills required by everyone involved to truly make this work.  Key Takeaways:Anytime you throw people into an equation, things become unpredictable. We need to be present and aware of that in a way that allows everybody to bring all of who they are to the problem. That is a way to start leading together.It is more about roles than about job descriptions. Job descriptions are a static document, roles are dynamic and can change as people can have multiple roles at the same time.To make a Lead Together organization work, everyone on the team must make the commitment - together.  "There needs to be a willingness to do the work, and to see the workplace as somewhere where we go, not just to do the task that's in front of us, but also to develop our own skills." — Brent Lowe About Brent Lowe and Susan Basterfield, co-authors of Leading Together:Brent Lowe is a performance coach helping leaders show up as their best selves within thriving, purpose-driven teams. As the Scale Coach for Founder CEOs, Brent works with entrepreneurs and leaders who are growing the size and impact of their businesses to tackle local and global challenges. Many of his clients are motivated by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and a desire to lead in ways that feel authentic, inspiring and personally fulfilling. He and his clients share a belief that leadership goes far beyond delivering financial returns, with ecosystem stewardship being a core responsibility.Susan Basterfield is catalyst and convener who believes that awareness and discernment can unblock drains and move mountains. From 35-plus years in business—spanning global multinationals, startups and schools—arose experiences that drive her work as a systems transformation partner. Her work includes standing shoulder to shoulder with leaders and organizations on their transformational journeys, often over many years, and convening virtual development programs, including the Practical Self-Management Intensive. She is an educator, coach, facilitator, writer, and collective entrepreneur. Obsessed with building the capacity to build capacity, Susan seeks out that which is life-giving, dances with complexity, and weeds-out constraints to potential. She practices with Greaterthan and Enspiral. Learn more about Susan’s work at greaterthan.works and enspiral.com. Lead Together: The Bold, Brave, Intentional Path to Scaling Your Business By Brent Lowe, Susan Basterfield, and Travis Marsh Get the book: leadtogether.co Connect with Brent:Website: brentlowe.comTwitter: twitter.com/BrentLoweTweetsLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brentloweconnects 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-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice