OK, real talk. I have taken a bit of heat over the years for trying to make a business case for empathy. When some folks saw my TEDx talk about how to trick leaders into being empathetic by showing them the benefits to the bottom line, they bristled. "How can you convince people to embrace empathy for selfish reasons?! That's not compassionate at all,’ they said. My perspective has been and will always be that to persuade people to take action, you need to make a case for what's in it for them to change. It's basic human nature. And if it gets them there, they can be transformed from the outside in - and we all benefit.That's exactly what Andrea Feigl is trying to do. She is making the business case for the private sector to partner with public entities and invest in healthcare. When they do, they cut costs, improve performance - and grow the economy. Andrea calls this a blended finance model and it's working. Today, we discuss what blended finance is, what role empathy plays in health impact measurement, and why financing healthcare matters in the impact and finance spaces. We talk about how to measure the impact of healthcare access on companies and the economy, and essentially, how to make the investment case for health, as evidenced recently in blended finance partnerships helping to find and distribute vaccines for COVID. To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Blended finance means that you leverage public or philanthropic resources to de-risk investments in healthcare by the private sector. It allows for proper investment and accelerated spending and production of whatever you are trying to produce. While many recognize health as a right (not as a privilege), in the private sector, this is not always the belief and it needs to be communicated in language that aligns with the values of the company or investors can understand and relate to. Putting a $1 value on a health state is not an exact science like measuring a cubic meter of carbon emission. It's informed by our value system. And because it's informed by our value systems, reasonable people will disagree on what that value should be. "We see that there is value in caring - not just caring about health for health sake, even though that is important - there's value for the economy in caring and investing in health appropriately." —  Andrea Feigl About Andrea Feigl, CEO, Health Finance InstituteAndrea Feigl, Ph.D. MPH, envisions a world with less suffering from preventable diseases, where every person can live their life with full dignity and reach their fullest potential.Andrea is the founder & CEO of Health Finance Institute and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University who brings passion and ambition to her work in global health policy, financing, and governance. Outside of her work in healthcare, Andrea is trained as a ballet dancer and holds an international teaching certificate in classical ballet.Andrea writes and speaks publicly in order to close the knowledge and implementation gap when it comes to global healthcare, especially related to non communicable diseases. She has published reports and papers for Health Policy, the WHO Bulletin, the CUGH Global Health Project of the Year, the Center for Global Development, and WEF/Harvard. Andrea is recognized as the innovator of the Evidenced Formal Coverage Index metric for universal healthcare coverage. A native of Austria, Andrea received her Ph.D. in global health from Harvard University, her MPH and BSc (First Class Honors) with a full scholarship from Simon Fraser University in Canada, and her IB from Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway.When she is not speaking, dancing, or traveling, Andrea enjoys playing the piano, skiing, and spending time with her son at their home in Washington, D.C.Connect with Andrea Feigl:Health Finance Institute: https://healthfinanceinstitute.orgTwitter: https://twitter.com/dr_feiglLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/andreafeigl1The Health Impact Credit Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/69apWnX6QlVOC9zqmGYAFqAn article on Blended Financehttps://www.re-solveglobalhealth.com/post/blending-resources-to-fund-the-ncd-fight-in-lmics?utm_campaign=e47f87f0-4d28-449f-af43-0054e0a74dbc&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=75998525-dc6b-407c-9277-a09e873826f5 The CGD event on assistive technologies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ71XTY7A6ILast year Skoll Open Forum – recording on solidarity: https://vimeo.com/700668875  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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

As leaders, we are tasked with "motivating" others. And empathy plays a role in that - in understanding what motivates others and hopefully, tying that to the goal you are trying to accomplish. But this is still a very ego-centric way of managing others. Making them "do what we want them to do" which my guest today tells us will never work. Today's guest, Dr. John DeMartini shares the science of goal setting, why motivation doesn't work, and how to discover your own - as well as others '- highest values so you can all succeed together.Dr. DeMartini shares his powerful and inspirational personal journey involving overcoming learning disabilities, teachers who wanted to give up on him, his determination to learn how to read, write, articulate his ideas, and learn as much as he could, a near-death experience, his life as a surfer and a vagabond, a vision for his life that guided his trajectory, and his mother's important words. You'll love our discussion on sustainable fair exchange, how to level the playing field by letting go of ego and subservience, and he explains the 13 vectors of understanding your higher values so you can align your work and life. He shares a powerful free assessment tool you and your team can take so you can work better together - see below in the show notes for the link! To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Having a reflective awareness, an introspective heart, and an empathic understanding of other people allows you to meet them at their level of the world and help them to recognize their genius and magnificence.Everyone has an underlying drive of what is the most valuable and most significant for them. The lower the priority, the more of a distraction it is from your highest values and goals. Nobody works for the sake of the company, they work for fulfilling their values. If they can’t see how the company and the work they are doing fulfill those values, then you will find disengaged and uninspired workers.  "You find time, make time, spend time for things that are important to you. If you look honestly, like a drone hovering over what you really spend your time on, most of the time, it's going to be a reflection of what you're valuing." —  Dr. John DeMartini About Dr. John Demartini, Human Behavior Expert, Polymath, and Internationally Published AuthorDr. John Demartini is a world-leading human behavior specialist, researcher, best-selling author, educator, and founder of The Demartini Method, a revolutionary tool in modern psychology. He has authored 40 books that have been translated into 39 different languages and presented his insights alongside some of the world’s most influential people, including Sir Richard Branson and Deepak Chopra. Harnessing almost five decades of research across multiple disciplines, Dr Demartini shares his life, business, financial, relationship and leadership empowerment strategies with people all over the globe - enabling them to transform their lives according to their highest values.Connect with Dr. John DemartiniThe Demartini Institute and free Values Assessment tool: https://drdemartini.com/https://www.youtube.com/drdemartinihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drjohndemartini/https://www.facebook.com/drjohndemartinihttps://www.instagram.com/drjohndemartini/Book: The 7 Secret Treasures: A Transformational Blueprint for a Well-Lived Life: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-7-secret-treasures-john-demartini/1140858133 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

Words matter. As a brand storyteller, I have emphasized this in my work with clients. They can be used to provoke or unite us. To inspire or anger us. They can be used as peacemakers or weapons.  You can just turn on the news or listen to political talking points to see this in action. In our highly charged politicized world, and the challenge of ever-changing language, it can be difficult to keep up with what is the current acceptable word and what, just a few years ago, is now no longer socially acceptable to say. But it is about more than just being politically correct, it is about respect for other human beings. Today, I talk about some of those questions that we should all be asking ourselves and how, together, we can do better to understand the power of our words to make the world a safer space for everyone.  To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com Key Takeaways:In today's world, words such as diversity, inclusion, and equity have been politicized and falsely equated to concepts to which they do not belong. Words such as freedom, patience, and love have also been politicized and weaponized. There is nothing worse than being misunderstood, when others take a whole other meaning from what you said rather than what you actually meant to conveyDiscernment is required - when is it worth us attacking each other over word usage, instead of focusing on the cause the word represents? "We should strive to honor others and use the right words that don't demean or oppress. If words are being used to do that, we should adjust. We also should not let words stand in the way of or distract us from the real work either." —  Maria Ross References Mentioned:Link to empathetic leadership survey for my next book - please complete and share! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/empathytrapMy new course! Brand Story BreakthroughSponsor The Empathy Edge podcast! Check out https://theempathyedge.com/sponsorship/ for all the details.WIT RegattaThe Empathy Edge podcast, Dr. Suzanne Wertheim: Why Inclusive Language MattersThe Empathy Edge podcast, Daniel Jahn: Racial Solidarity and the Psychology of RacismJonni and Maria Go There! Podcast - Apple, Spotify, Google, AudibleDon’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 Book your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

Divorce. Losing a family member to addiction. The end of a friendship. Empty nesting. Even the loss many of us felt during the Pandemic. These are all examples of ambiguous grief. Today's guest is Stephanie Sarazin, a writer, researcher, and experiential expert in ambiguous grief. We talk about what ambiguous grief is and how it's different from grief brought on by death, how different people cope with it, the stages, and the importance of empathy to help people heal and feel witnessed. We discuss the well-intentioned reactions we have that are actually the opposite of empathy,  and what we can do and say instead. If you want to be a more empathetic colleague, friend, manager, and teammate to those experiencing ambiguous grief, take a listen to this powerful conversation. To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Grief is the invoice we pay for love, and it can only heal if it is being witnessed. Ambiguous grief is something that nearly everyone will experience for a variety of reasons. We need to build into our benefits and HR policies in our companies ways we can support our team through all of their grief experiences, not just those associated with death.Empathy is not judgmental and is not resentful. Grief, especially ambiguous grief, shows up in different ways for every single person.  "We don't have the societal norms for an ambiguous grief experience that we do for grief by physical death. There's often no outward expression of our grief, yet, it doesn't make it any less pronounced." —  Stephanie Sarazin About Stephanie Sarazin, Author & Certified Grief EducatorStephanie Sarazin is a writer, researcher, and experiential expert in ambiguous grief. Her work began with her own experience of mid-life trauma, which sparked an ambitious journey—spiritually and around the world—to understand, name, and heal the grief she found within her.  Her efforts revealed a first-of-its-kind definition for “ambiguous grief,” whereby grief is onset by the loss of a loved one who is still living and wherein the experience of hope presents as a stage of the grieving process. Stephanie’s work brings new resources to reframe disruptive, activating events as a gateway to discovering your highest self, in turn championing ambiguous grief as nuanced, natural, and navigable.Stephanie is also the founder of Rise Up Rooted, an online resource center for those navigating ambiguous grief, a grief educator, and a TEDx curator in her community. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and earned a Master of Public Policy from The University of Chicago. Her book, Soulbroken (one word) was published by Balance in October 2022 and has received praise from leading voices including Adam Grant, Elizabeth Lesser, and Maria Shriver.Connect with Stephanie SarazinWebsite: http://www.stephaniesarazin.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniesarazin/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephing_thru/Book:  Soulbroken: A Guidebook for Your Journey Through Ambiguous Grief. Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and wherever you buy your books. 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

Your organization is not just some static, monolithic thing. It's actually a forest - living, breathing, adapting, full of evolving biodiversity. Often leaders get stuck, focusing on our productivity and numbers, and end up underperforming as a result, causing disengagement and mental health crises in their wake. Today, Catherine Bell shares how integrating consciousness, empathy, and relationship-building creates an Awakening Company that combines profitable performance with conscious purpose.We discuss what an Awakening Company looks like, how empathetic leaders can be more self-aware and conscious in the moment - leading to higher engagement and performance - and she shares an empathic practice to bring you home to your body in a nanosecond. She fuses compassion, relationships, and consciousness with tangible business performance and transformation - your invitation today is to be brave enough to transform your leadership style to reap all the rewards! Key Takeaways:Focus on creating healthy, vibrant cultures within your organizations. In the connections, the processes come alive. Our beingness and our ability to relate to one another is where the awakening is. You cannot check your being at the door when you get to work. We all have a sphere of influence. You can create a microculture around you that encourages empathy and connection, without waiting for the decree to come from higher up in your organization. "We need seasons in our organizations. We need quiet time. We can't just be relentlessly on the go and at the mercy of productivity. An awakening organization pauses, takes a breath, and then something more creative and dynamic can come in." —  Catherine Bell About Catherine Bell:Catherine is a successful serial entrepreneur, business leader, and best-selling business author who focuses on awakening the fire within as Founder of The Awakened Company. She's also the author of the revolutionary business book, Awakened Company. Her focus is on helping ignite and sustain the fire within by helping organizations create healthy cultures through her practical experience, wisdom traditions, and business research.  She has taught the Awakened Company process in 23 different countries.  She was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the top 10 innovative CEOs revamping the future.Previously, Catherine founded BluEra, a Profit 500 executive search firm. As a top-200 growing company in Canada and top-10 in Alberta, BluEra was a successful example of the Awakened Company System in action, one that is being integrated into the Smith (Queen's) School of Business Masters of Entrepreneurship. She now helps organizations develop culture strategies.Catherine has been published in Fortune, HBR, Profit, Conscious Company Magazine, Women of Influence, and has written for the UN. She has worked around the globe from the UK to Cuba, with Fortune 500 companies, and serial entrepreneurs.Connect with Catherine BellThe Awakened Company: https://awakenedcompany.com/Her book, The Awakened CompanyTwitter: https://twitter.com/awakenedcompanyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bellcatherine/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awakenedcompanyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theawakenedcompany/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5XwzGZacXitTYvb4NPdhgwVimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/user27041330Awakenly App: https://www.awakenly.app/References Mentioned:Enneagram: https://awakenedcompany.com/enneagram-courses-awakened-company/The Empathy Edge podcast, Chris L. Johnson, When Leaders Pause, They WinCarol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

Are children more or less empathetic than they used to be? We adults, parents or not, should care about the answer since younger generations are our future corporate, government, and civic leaders. How important is empathy to their success, and how can empathy be increased and stretched?Today, I talk with Dr. Michele Borba about the value of empathy and why it's crucial we teach character to our children. She shares research that empathy has been on the decline for children since 2000, and what effect the pandemic had on their empathy and resilience. But don't lose hope: We also talk about the amazing ways young people are building empathy and changing the world. Michele shares the 7 most crucial character strengths that boost resilience, peak performance, and wellbeing - and how they work together for both children and adults.Finally, she shares practical, evidence-based, SIMPLE ways to cultivate children's empathy and resilience - and yes, these can work for you and your team, too! To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:We need to be more intentional about teaching our kids character and empathy, now more than ever. It doesn’t mean we need more tutors, tech, or classes, but it does require conversation and leading by example. Behavior is always changeable - be very clear about what you want to switch, then do a little bit every day to make that change and create the new habit. Our empathy goes dormant when all we see is the bad stuff. The news that you are watching and consuming does affect your emotions and your empathy levels.  "Empathy, right now than any other trait we have, particularly in an AI world, is probably the #1 trait that's going to help us raise mentally happy, aware parents, grownups, business people, and children." —  Dr. Michele BorbaAbout Michele Borba, Ed.D, Educational PsychologistMichele Borba, Ed.D. is an educational psychologist and former teacher recognized for offering research-driven advice culled from a career of working with over one million parents, educators and children. A frequent Today show contributor, she is the recipient of the National Educator Award and Character.org’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award. Michele is the author of 25 books -her latest: UnSelfie, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, and Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine. She also appears on Dr. Phil, The View, CNN, The Doctors, Dr. Oz, and featured in numerous publications, including U.S. News & World Report, The Chicago Tribune, TIME, and The NYTimes.References Mentioned:The Empathy Edge podcast: Dr. Gina Baleria: Empathy in Journalism and Today's Media LandscapeThe Empathy Edge podcast: Eric Dawson: When You Ask Young People to Change the World, They Step Up and LeadConnect with Michele Borba, Ed.D.Website: http://micheleborba.comBooks: Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine https://www.amazon.com/Thrivers-Surprising-Reasons-Struggle-Others/dp/0593085299UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-You World https://www.amazon.com/UnSelfie-Empathetic-Succeed-All-About-Me-World/dp/1501110071Twitter: https://twitter.com/micheleborbaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmicheleborba/ 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

The data show that diverse leadership teams and inclusive cultures deliver better performance and engagement. So why are so many diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives stalling out? My guest today, Cynthia Owyoung, shares where mistakes are being made and whether public pledges of anti-racism support and proposed changes to corporate culture have made a difference. We discuss what brought Cynthia to this work and how her experiences as a Chinese-American shaped her perspective. We also talk about the real-world challenges of DEI initiatives she outlines in her book, why change is hard even with good intentions, and the backlash certain company leaders have publicly had against DEI initiatives. We also explore whether the public commitments made after George Floyd's 2020 murder have really made a difference to corporate culture To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Be the person who opens the doors to opportunities for others. We are all human. Most humans are not able to compartmentalize life events from work. Leaders need to acknowledge that and not be afraid to have the tough conversations. You need to keep your DEIB long-term goals in mind as you make the smaller, everyday goals. Without that, you will sabotage your DEIB goals without meaning to.  "It takes commitment and discipline. A lot of people can be committed, but they don't necessarily follow through with the discipline to implement. That's where it all can fall down because strategies are nothing without action." —  Cynthia Owyoung References Mentioned:The Empathy Edge podcast: Rodney Hutton: Authentic Leadership, Honest Dialogue, and Taking a Brand StandThe Empathy Edge podcast: Melina Palmer: What Your Employees Need But Can’t Tell YouAbout Cynthia Owyoung, Founder, Breaking Glass Forums, Author of All are WelcomeCynthia Owyoung is the author of All Are Welcome: How to Build a Real Workplace Culture of Inclusion that Delivers Results, a playbook for driving progress in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) inside organizations. She has established and led DEIB initiatives for 20 years as an executive at organizations across tech, media and financial services, including Robinhood, Charles Schwab and Yahoo!. In addition, Cynthia founded Breaking Glass Forums, a boutique agency developing strategies to accelerate diverse leadership and inclusive organizations. Entrepreneur Magazine recognized Cynthia as a 100 Women of Impact in 2021. Prior to her work in human resources, Cynthia built a decade-long career as a Brand Strategist for leading global brands and advertising agencies, developing campaigns for Microsoft, Levi Strauss, and Apple. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for AbilityPath, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people with special needs to achieve their full potential. She earned an MBA in organizational behavior from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, and Bachelor's degrees in marketing, finance and psychology from UC Berkeley.Connect with Cynthia OwyoungBreaking Glass Forums: https://www.breaking.glass/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CindyOwyoungLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cowyoung/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breakingglassforums/Her book: All Are Welcome: How to Build a Real Workplace Culture of Inclusion that Delivers Results, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Bookshop.org 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

Porsche and Honda both make cars. They do NOT have the same brand story. They are not selling to the same people. Customers buy from them for very different reasons - not simply "because I need a car." Your business, no matter what industry you are in, needs to understand this.People often ask me, "How the heck did you, as a brand strategist, come to now be an empathy advocate, author, and speaker?" And I tell them the truth: Empathy has been the success secret of my marketing career.Marketers get this. You can't influence or persuade someone - or build right-fit offerings for them - if you don't understand them. You must peek into their lives, see things how they see them, and ensure your solutions meet those needs, address those goals, and fulfill those aspirations. Or quite frankly, they should not be doing business with you. To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Your messaging needs to be about more than just the product. Your brand story should connect and engage with your audience. Research proves we often make decisions with subconscious emotion, then justify them with logic. Good marketing is not sleazy - when done right and genuinely with offering value as the intention, it’s a way to let people who need you the most find you. "Empathy in marketing is understanding the goals, desires, fears, values, and needs of your ideal audience and creating products and services that speak to them." —  Maria Ross  Episode References: My new course! Brand Story BreakthroughBranding Basics for Small Business, 2nd Edition (2014)Nike If You Let Me Play AdJust one of many Subaru ads I love!The Empathy Edge with Melina Palmer: Why Your Customers Can't Tell You What They Want 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 Book your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

You're an executive who believes strongly in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Now what? Many executives fear taking action in this space because they are afraid to fail in public. My guest today is Renée Freeman, Principal and founder of Freeman Consulting, a DEIB expert who coaches executives on fostering a nuanced understanding of the importance and value of inclusivity and belonging in the workplace.  Renée conducts workshops, focus groups, and listening sessions for local and global organizations. Today we talk about effective frameworks for DEIB, visible and invisible diversity, what are microaggressions, and the difference between leadership and management when it comes to people.  Key Takeaways:Race is a social construct. You do not know what race somebody identifies as until you have a conversation and they choose to tell you their identity. The same goes for neurodiversity. The brain has both judgments and curiosities, but it cannot do both at the same time. We need to be mindful and aware of the questions we are asking, the biases we have, and the assumptions we are making. When you are in communication, there are more nuances than just the words being said. What is being verbalized is important, but how those words are landing with the other person is equally as important.  "Shame and blame is not an access point to belonging. If what we're trying to create inside an organization is belonging and innovation, and all those yummy things that come from inclusivity,  being able to create a space where folks can process is important." —  Renée Freeman About Renée A. Freeman, Principal & Chief Diversity OfficerFreeman Consulting & Associates provides cultural competency coaching for executives. It also conducts workshops, focus groups, and listening sessions for local and global organizations. The company’s purpose is to help its clients foster a nuanced understanding of the importance and value of inclusivity and belonging in the workplace.Renée A. Freeman is the Principal and Owner of Freeman Consulting. Before forming the company, she spent more than a decade working for IKEA and other global and multinational organizations. She is a Pepperdine University Master of Science in Organization Development alum and serves as Executive Co-Chair of the MSOD Alumni Council. She is an expert in various group dynamic methodologies, including Future Search, and is MBTI and Human Subjects Training certified.Connect with Renée A. FreemanWebsite: https://www.freemanca.comPersonal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeafreeman/Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/freemanca/Additional References:MOT Tools for Tolerance® for Professionals Programs https://www.museumoftolerance.com/for-professionals/programs-workshops/Brook Graham, https://www.brookgraham.comFuture Search Network, https://futuresearch.netThe 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory

Leaders are being asked to be more emotionally aware and embrace emotions at work. But how to do that in ways that are appropriate and comfortable for everyone? Gone are the days when we separated work and life and we now realize that we can't bring our whole selves to work without acknowledging our humanity. That can mean messy, uncomfortable emotions - and if you as a leader have not shored up your own emotional awareness, you may struggle. Nowhere is this more deeply felt than when having to conduct layoffs.Today, my guest, Daina Middleton, discusses how you can get comfortable embracing emotions at work and building rapport - yes, even if you're an introvert.  Daina shares her own C-suite story about her journey of learning to be aware of and embrace her own emotions to create more success at work and better relationships at home. Daina offers powerful and timely tips on approaching layoffs with empathy and intention, and ensuring you don't ignore those left behind. We talk about why last-hired/first-fired thinking can destroy your DEI progress and designing severance packages that are more inclusive and compassionate. To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:We are all human. We all have emotions and feelings. At the end of the day, if you want to enhance productivity, you need to make sure people can bring their whole selves to work. Listening is the most important thing you can do. Let the blank space be blank space, you do not need to fill it with your own story. Know when empathy and information should come from the leadership team, not just HR, legal, or middle management.  "If you truly want to propel and move the organization forward, you need to allow people to go through the grieving steps." —  Daina Middleton References Mentioned: The Empathy Edge Podcast: Lisen Stromberg: What Modern Leaders and Cultures Need to Succeed in the 21st CenturyHarvard Business Review, "Don't Let Layoffs Undermine Your DEI Efforts"Daina's book: Grace Meets Grit: How to Bring Out the Remarkable, Courageous Leader WithinA great article on Prismwork's site on human-centered layoffs.About Daina Middleton, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, PrismworkDaina Middleton is a former CEO and CMO, and current board member and advisor, strategy consultant, and growth architect with expertise in growing technology and services organizations. She has successfully grown and exited several marketing services businesses. Her success is fueled by focusing on creating market categories, driving thought leadership through partnerships and experiences, cultivating company culture, and executing operational excellence. Believing culture is the competitive advantage, Daina is currently creating culture transformations, inclusive leadership, and company purpose-driven strategies for businesses that wish to create better outcomes for all stakeholders.Connect with Daina MiddletonPrismwork: http://www.prismwork.comWebsite: https://dainamiddleton.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dainamiddleton/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dainamiddleton 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 Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edgeBook your free seat to Maria's masterclass here- https://bit.ly/4StepBrandStory