Afleveringen
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Here are some reflections and key takeaways from a recent webinar I co-hosted with my brilliant colleague and friend, Minette Norman. It was called “What’s Next: “What’s Next: The Future of Empathy and Inclusion in the Workplace.”
MInette is the co-author of The Psychological Safety Handbook and author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader. And together, we had things to say!
The goal of the session was simple but powerful: to create community during tough times and talk honestly about where we’re at, what’s challenging us, and where we go from here when it comes to empathy and inclusion at work.
Let me tell you—the conversation was real, and it was energizing!
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Even with the current resistance to DEI, there is still a strong business case for it. DEI initiatives are proven to drive innovation, performance, and revenue.Sometimes, rebranding DEI work as “belonging” or “inclusion” can help get buy-in.Asking “What are we missing?” can unlock better outcomes, reduce risk, and help teams innovate."In these tough times, community matters. Empathy and inclusion are not trends—they’re leadership imperatives." — Maria Ross
Episode References:
Share your opinion! Please fill out the short survey here at https://bit.ly/edge-feedbackMinette Norman: https://www.minettenorman.comThe Psychological Safety Handbook: https://thepsychologicalsafetyplaybook.com/The Boldly Inclusive Leader: https://www.minettenorman.com/boldlyinclusiveleaderMedium: The Great DEI Hustle: White Americans Are the Real DEI Hires by Dr. Lauren TuckerFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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When you think of workplace wellness, you may picture gym memberships and yoga mats. But joy, empathy, and inclusion also create a healthy and high-performing workplace culture! We need to reimagine what wellness means!
Today, Misha Safran, shares how empathy intersects with inclusion to foster innovation and equity. We also discuss how to reframe the misconceptions about empathy that exist in high-pressure workplaces. With brilliant mindset shifts and practical tips, she shares how leaders can model empathy without feeling performative, and how to navigate conflict using empathy and emotional intelligence. Misha shares the four elements of joy and why you can be more successful when you embrace them so your team can break free from chaos and transform that energy into creativity, problem-solving, and success.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Empathy is love, care, and concern - not agreement. It’s having conversations, it’s listening to know what’s going on, and it’s having healthy boundaries.Empathy before accusation.Empathy might look different depending on personality - it doesn’t have to mean being touchy-feely or crying on the floor with your employees.Especially in conflict, urgency causes chaos - slow down, take a pause, take a breath, and respond, don’t react. Slow down to build up."Ask questions for the person in front of you to grow, not for you to know." — Misha Safran
From Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Misha Safran, Founder, Center for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Misha Safran, an engaging keynote speaker and author, holds a Professional Coaching Certification (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She is the founder of CEEQ, the Center for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence, LLC, and in 2022 was honored with the CEO Award from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for her impactful work on a DEIA training team.
With infectious positivity, intuitive insights, and deep empathy, Misha creates safe spaces for individuals and teams to navigate discomfort while building essential skills. Her unique ability to support organizations in transforming conflict into connection, collaboration, and currency inspires communities to thrive, celebrate achievements, and foster renewed enthusiasm for collective work.
Misha’s passion lies in empowering people to reset their mindset, unlocking renewed energy, improved problem-solving, heightened creativity, and more thoughtful communication. She has dedicated her career to cultivating inclusive, sustainable relationships and fostering environments where everyone can succeed.
Connect with Misha:
CEEQ: ceeq.org
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/misha-safran
Facebook: facebook.com/CEEQempathy
Instagram: instagram.com/mishasafran
Workplace Wellness Program: Laughter to Joy Wellness Experience for Connection, Collaboration, and Sustainable Success - Schedule a consultation: [email protected]
Book: A Teacher's Companion: Centering Empathy & Emotional Well-Being for Yourself and Your Students and bonus package for schools!
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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There's a powerful psychological state that can paralyze us, interfere with effective relationships, block our empathy, and cause us to inflict harm. It's called shame.
Today, David Bedrick shares what shame is, how it’s created, and its connection to trauma. Some say shame keeps us humble, but David shares why we don’t need shame because it's not the same as embarrassment or regret. We unpack why shame is not a feeling but a psychological state that can leave you numb - and how you can instead create a space of safety and security within yourself. David shares how we can snap out of a shame spiral in the moment and also gives insights as to why some people may feel a need to shame others. David makes us think about our need to “solve,” or pathologize as he puts it, shame, anger, depression, and the like rather than process root causes to make meaning. He offers an intriguing thought experiment to try to break yourself of this tendency! Lastly, we touch on how to unashame conflict and dialogue through conflict in a more productive way.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Shame is different from embarrassment or humiliation. Shame is a psychological state that may have feelings associated with it. Negative feelings are not bad - they can even be helpful for understanding our behavior and lead us to making an action toward repair. Say the criticisms in your head aloud from the perspective of the negatives - it gives you a chance to respond and advocate for yourself."If shame enters my system, the only thing I care about is removing the bad experience I have in myself. I don't care about you. I care about being low. In the fully shame psyche, you don't exist as a person that matters to me at all." — David Bedrick, JD, Dipl. PW
Episode References:
The Unshaming Way: amazon.com/Unshaming-Way-Compassionate-Dismantling-Shame-Heal/dp/B0CWL19X7GThe Empathy Edge: Edwin Rutsch: How “Empathy Circles” Can Change the WorldFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About David Bedrick, JD, Dipl. PW Founder, The Santa Fe Institute for Shame-based Studies and Author of The Unshaming Way
David is a teacher, counselor, and attorney. He was adjunct faculty at the University of Phoenix and the Process Work Institute in the U.S. and Poland. He is the founder of the Santa Fe Institute for Shame-based Studies, where he offers facilitation training to deepen the skills and awareness of therapists, coaches, and healers and workshops for individuals to further their own personal development. He is a writer for Psychology Today and the author of four books: Talking Back to Dr. Phil: Alternatives to Mainstream Psychology; Revisioning Activism: Bringing Depth, Dialogue, and Diversity to Individual and Social Change; and You Can’t Judge a Body by Its Cover: 17 Women’s Stories of Hunger, Body Shame and Redemption. His recent book, The Unshaming Way, has been endorsed by Gabor Mate.
Connect with David:
Santa Fe Institute for Shame-based Studies: davidbedrick.com
Facebook: facebook.com/david.bedrick.9
Instagram: instagram.com/david.bedrick
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Truthbomb: A collection of people working in the same department, function, or even office are not necessarily a team. And if you want high performance, you need to know the difference.
Today, Pam Fox Rollin shares the important difference between groups and teams - if you don't understand this, you may be consistently beating your head against a wall! - and the factors that help you turn your collection of people into a truly high-performing team. We talk about how empathy drives team performance and the transformation she has seen when leaders learn to bring empathy to their work. Pam introduces the concept of Conversations for Relationship and why understanding that those exist, even when you can't hear them, impacts performance. eWe discuss the intersection of teams and communities, and how to build a “team brand” that helps you succeed within your organization. Finally, Pam shares real-life examples from her clients on how to develop empathy and use it wisely while avoiding the pitfalls.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
There are four essential conversations teams must have: Conversation for Possibility, Conversation for Decision, Conversation for Action, and Conversation for Relationship. If there is low trust, there will be slow change. If you want your organization to change faster, you must build that trust.Take a stand, put a stake in the ground, and give people accurate information about what you’re about and what your purpose is."They needed something more, and that something more is fundamentally two things: one, a shared promise, and two…a commitment to coordinate to fulfill that promise." — Pam Fox Rollin
Episode References:
Right to Be: https://righttobe.org/ The Empathy Edge podcast: Carrie Melissa Jones: Building Successful CommunitiesFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Pam Fox Rollin, Executive Team Coach, and Co-Author, Growing Groups Into Teams
Pam Fox Rollin coaches senior executives and C-suite teams in Silicon Valley and globally. Pam guides tech, biotech, and healthcare organizations to succeed in strategic transformation, executive development, and culture initiatives. With her Altus Growth Partners team, she is co-author of the new book Growing Groups into Teams. Her MBA is from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where she later served as a Guest Fellow in Leadership and Master Coach. Pam is known as an impactful speaker and valuable thought partner to leaders navigating complex change.
Connect with Pam:
Altus Growth Partners: altusgrowth.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pamfoxrollin
Book: Growing Groups into Teams: Real-Life Stories of People Who Get Results and Thrive Together: growinggroupsintoteams.com
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Traditional Management Models Are Failing (And What Actually Works)
What if Gen Z's approach to work isn't just different, but better? Join Kim Bohr and Dr. Meisha Rouser as they challenge "kids these days" stereotypes and explore why traditional management is failing this generation.
Discover why questions about pay transparency and work-life boundaries signal evolution, not entitlement. Learn how leaders can adapt by understanding economic realities, setting clear expectations, and transforming feedback approaches.
Dr. Rouser shares practical leadership strategies to create meaningful growth opportunities that retain Gen Z talent while building more adaptive, high-performing teams.
Tune in every 3rd Thursday, right here on The Empathy Edge for the Courage to Advance episodes!
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Why the "pay your dues" mentality is driving away top talentHow to transform feedback and development approaches for maximum impactThe importance of clear expectations and boundariesUnderstanding the economic realities shaping Gen Z workplace needsWhy challenging workplace norms isn't entitlement but evolution"This generation isn't just challenging workplace norms - they're showing us a better way forward. When they ask 'why do we work this way?' they're not being difficult, they're pushing us to create workplaces that actually work for everyone." – Dr. Meisha Rouser, PCC
About Dr. Meisha Rouser, PCC
Meisha is a recognized expert in organizational development, leadership, and change management with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in cultural transformation, executive coaching, and building high-performing leadership teams.
As an organizational psychologist, her research on Gen Z in the workplace provides groundbreaking insights for creating productive and meaningful work environments. She skillfully navigates organizational culture to ensure lasting impact and strategic success.
Meisha holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, a Master’s in Organizational Development, and an Executive Leadership Certificate from MIT Sloan school of business. She has worked with clients including HP, FujiFilms, Intel, Jackson Laboratories, and the U.S. Navy.
About SparkEffect
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Dr. Meisha Rouser:
Website: https://meisharouser.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meisharouser/
Connect with Kim Bohr and SparkEffect
SparkEffect: sparkeffect.com
Courage to Advance recording and resources:
sparkeffect.com/courage-to-advance-podcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sparkeffect
LinkedIn for Kim Bohr: linkedin.com/in/kimbohr
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Courageous empathy. Yep - it takes courage and strength to break existing leadership paradigms and embrace empathy in our world today. We don't acknowledge that often enough. Embracing empathy as a leader is as much a self-development exercise as it is a leadership style! Today I speak with Sanela Lukanovic about courageous empathy, how the identity of empathy gets in the way of embracing it at the top, how it can be used against you, and how to practice empathy while avoiding burnout by starting with self-compassion.
Sanela shares how her knack for coaching difficult people without blocking change can enable you to deal with the person rather than the problem. And why we sometimes swing too far between polar opposite paradigms of cold dictatorship and submissive chaos before we can land on what works right for us.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Be brave enough to be the type of leader that is required in our workplaces and our world.You must set boundaries around empathy. If you don’t, you are risking burnout, people-pleasing, and submission in your leadership. You don’t want to wall yourself off, but you don’t want to be walked all over either.Boundaries allow you to see and allow a back and forth (like over a fence). Barriers impede progress."It takes a lot of courage to sit across from somebody and be open and willing to hear their perspective." — Sanela Lukanovic
Episode References:
The Daring Greatly Programme, based on research by Dr. Brené Brown: selfdom.life/daring-greatlyThe Empathy Edge podcast episodes:
Daina Middleton: How to Do Layoffs with Humanity, Inclusion, and CompassionM.E. Hart: How to Have Honest Conversations at WorkFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Sanela Lukanovic: Transformational Coach and Daring Way™ Facilitator
Sanela Lukanovic is a Transformational Coach and founder of Selfdom. With over two decades of experience, Sanela empowers individuals to lead with authenticity, purpose, and courage. She is a public speaker, thought leader, and expert in coaching women leaders to overcome unique challenges and create value-aligned change.
Using somatic and neuroscience tools, Sanela helps clients achieve holistic personal growth. Her impactful talks and group programs focus on building courage, empathy as a shame resilience tool, perfectionism, boundaries, and self-compassion.
Her background in management consulting and cross-sector experience in leadership development enrich her coaching approach.
Connect with Sanela:
Selfdom: selfdom.life
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sanela-lukanovic-682927
Instagram: instagram.com/selfdom_life
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Diversity, equity, and inclusion have become polarizing terms in our world and that is likely because they are greatly misunderstood. Part of that misunderstanding comes from our unconscious filters - how we see the world, how we take in information, and how we assume we are “the norm" but others are different when the reality is we are ALL different.
Today, Sara Taylor illuminates us by sharing what unconscious filters are and the three purposes they serve for us humans - even though they can get in the way of effective relationships. We discuss why diversity initiatives have become so polarized despite the data on how diversity and inclusion enrich organizations and the bottom line, and what we can do to better communicate those benefits by dealing with emotions and unconscious filters more than facts and figures. Sara also shares how intent and impact look different from both sides of the relationship, how to pause to check ourselves, and why leaders set the bar and build the culture so your DEIB initiatives will get traction.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
We are inputting 11 million bits of information every second across all our senses, but we can only process and are only consciously aware of 40 of those.Assume positive intent on behalf of others. Also, assume your impact isn’t positive. When you take that accountability, we can communicate more effectively when we face obstacles.It is not your responsibility to make others behave empathetically. It is your responsibility to model the appropriate empathetic behavior.You can’t make empathy HR’s problem. It requires self-awareness and consciously slowing down to understand your own biases."Where are we missing the mark when we know that everyone benefits from an inclusive workplace? Why is there resistance? How do we need to approach folks in our organization that are resistant in a different way for them to see what's in their self-interest as well?" — Sara Taylor. Author, Thinking at the Speed of Bias
Episode References:
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) AssessmentThe Empathy Edge podcast episodes related to DEIB:
Karen Catlin: How to be a Real AllyCynthia Owyoung: Diversity and Inclusion Deliver Real Results. But Have We Made Progress?Jeannie Gainsburg: How to Be a Savvy LGBTQ+ AllyRenée Freeman: Coaching Leaders to Embrace InclusionM.E. Hart: How to Have Honest Conversations at WorkFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Sara Taylor, President, deepSEE Consulting, Author, Thinking at the Speed of Bias
Nationally recognized speaker, author, and consultant, Sara is a thought leader in the field of DEI and Cultural Competence. Numerous individuals and organizations use her bestselling book, Filter Shift, and new release book Thinking at the Speed of Bias to increase success and create greater effectiveness in interactions across differences. Sara’s company, deepSEE Consulting works with local, national, and global clients to take their Diversity and Inclusion work to the next level.
Connect with Sara:
Book: Thinking at the Speed of Bias
deepSEE Consulting: deepseeconsulting.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarajanetaylor
Facebook: facebook.com/deepsee.consulting
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Work can be one of the biggest drivers of positivity in your life, but no one ever really explains how to be successful without sacrificing everything outside of the office. When you enjoy your work, you’re more successful and any joy you feel on the job spills over into the rest of your life as well. Kind of like practicing empathy at work and bringing that skill home with you!
My guest today is Jason Silver, author of Your Grass is Greener: Use What You Have, Get What You Want. At Work and in Life. We discuss why leaning into values matters, what he learned about people-centric leadership at AirBnB, and how he carried that into his other successful endeavors. He shares 9 of the most common workplace challenges, why the term "best practice” is dangerous, and the difference between intention and purpose. He shares powerful habits to find more enjoyment at work - which he says is not the fluff but the fuel - and he tells you exactly how to ask your boss to allow you to do your work in ways you enjoy more! Finally, we discuss why it’s easy for leaders to attribute cost but less easy to attribute exponential benefits when you focus on enjoyment and people first.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Take care of your people first and they will take care of any problem your business runs into. The earlier you start, the more you can bake the values of the organization into the company and team members, which makes it easier to make every decision based on those values. It is not a waste of time to reflect and learn from our weeks. If we don’t know where we were unintentionally pulled sideways or intentionally set other things aside, we won’t know what we need to focus on going forward. You are not going to find every aspect of your job fun or enjoyable, but it doesn’t have to be constant fun for you to find overall enjoyment in your career."Enjoyment isn't the fluff. Enjoyment is the fuel. The more you're enjoying your work, the more likely it is that you accomplish bigger and bigger things." — Jason Silver
From Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Jason Silver, Founder and author of Your Grass is Greener
Jason Silver is a multi-time founder of kids and a multi-time founder of companies.He gets his biggest thrill helping modern employees and their teams unlock a better way to work—surfing is a close second. He was an early employee at Airbnb and helped build an AI company from the ground up back before AI was the cool thing to do. Today, he as a self-professed "Startup Personal Trainer", advises a startup portfolio valued in the billions on how to build great, lasting companies that people actually enjoy working for. He’s a sought-after public speaker, instructor, and advisor on how to transform work into one of the biggest drivers of positivity in your life. When he’s not busy helping people solve their hardest workplace challenges, Jason’s kids are busy reminding him just how much of a work in progress he still is too.
Connect with Jason Silver:
Website: thejasonsilver.com
Book: Your Grass is Greener: Use What You Have. Get What You Want. At Work and In Life
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/silverjay
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Welcome to Courage to Advance, hosted by Kim Bohr and brought to you by SparkEffect, in partnership with The Empathy Edge.
Tune in to our subseries every 3rd Thursday, right here on The Empathy Edge! Or check us out at CourageToAdvancePodcast.com.
The AI skills gap is widening between high-performing organizations and those falling behind. With only 27% of HR leaders feeling ready to advance their AI strategy, what separates the leaders from the laggards? Join Kim Bohr and i4cp CEO Kevin Oakes as they dive into groundbreaking research on workforce readiness in the era of AI, revealing shocking statistics about executive training and organizational success.
Drawing from extensive research comparing high and low-performing organizations, Kevin shares how leading companies are leveraging AI to achieve up to 30% higher productivity through comprehensive training programs. Discover why companies like Moderna and Mastercard are succeeding with AI adoption rates of 80%, while others struggle to start.
Learn why waiting to embrace AI might be the biggest risk of all, and how to position your organization for success in this rapidly evolving landscape.
Tune in every 3rd Thursday, right here on The Empathy Edge!
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
High-performing organizations are 17 times more likely to train their executive leaders on Gen AI, creating a significant competitive advantageOnly 11% of organizations are fully embracing AI across their enterprise, with top performers focusing on both efficiency and effectivenessOrganizations successfully scaling AI achieve up to 30% higher productivity through comprehensive training programsThe role of HR in AI strategy has dramatically improved, with non-involvement dropping from 41% to 22% in recent yearsCreating a "change-ready" culture is crucial for successful AI implementation, emphasizing learning over knowing"You want to create a workforce and a leadership team that are agile and that not only can roll with the punches but can embrace them and figure out how to use this change to our advantage." - Kevin Oakes
About Kevin Oakes, CEO at i4cp
Kevin is CEO and co-founder of the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), the world's leading human capital research firm focusing on people practices that drive high performance. He is the author of Culture Renovation®, an Amazon bestseller which details how high-performance organizations successfully change organizational culture. Kevin has an extensive background in HR technology and corporate development, previously founding SumTotal Systems and serving as Chairman & CEO of Click2learn. He currently serves on several boards and is dedicated to advancing human capital practices that create lasting organizational success.
About SparkEffect
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Kevin Oakes
I4cp: i4cp.com
Book: Culture Renovation: 18 Leadership Actions to Build an Unshakeable Company
Connect with Kim Bohr and SparkEffect
SparkEffect: sparkeffect.com
Courage to Advance recording and resources:
sparkeffect.com/courage-to-advance-podcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sparkeffect
LinkedIn for Kim Bohr: linkedin.com/in/kimbohr
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Today I speak with Jen Stark and Jarrid Green, Co-Directors, of the Center for Business and Social Justice. We candidly discuss how DEI and other topics became flashpoints and ideological hostages rather than sustained corporate efforts, and how companies can break this cycle. We explore the questions executives and boards are asking, how companies can respond to activist shareholders and continue to promote fairness and equity while also fulfilling their responsibility to ensure strong financial performance - and why we're “beyond the business case” so we can adapt our narrative. Jen and Jarrid offer valuable advice on how everyone from the C-suite to DEIB and CSR professionals in the trenches can stay motivated and respond.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
You cannot be neutral anymore. Consumers want to know what their money will support and want to be value aligned.Be authentic with yourself - you need to understand why you are doing what you are doing.Lean into your smaller, individual communities. Mass media and social media information sharing is not enough."We’ve left the era of case-making. There are enough data points, surveys, and white papers that if it is was just rational thought governing business decisions, you’d be in a different place." — Jen Stark
Episode References:
Kerner Report: pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/bombshell-political-reportThe Center's Social Justice Guidebook: bsr.org/en/focus/equity-inclusion-and-justiceHow to Survive a Plague by David France: penguinrandomhouse.com/books/209900/how-to-survive-a-plague-by-david-franceSuffs: The Musical: suffsmusical.comFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Jen Stark and Jarrid Green, Co-Directors, Center or Business and Social Justice
Jen Stark is a strategy development and implementation expert at complex health and humanitarian organizations with 20+ years of experience. She launched BSR’s Center for Business and Social Justice in 2022 alongside Jarrid Green to illuminate a path for companies to shift from performative to transformational actions with a focus on public policy engagement and influence. She is frequently cited in business press on flashpoint topics and is an advisor to Gauge.ai and GoFundMe’s Compassion Leadership Network.
Jarrid Green co-designs and implements programmatic efforts alongside Jen Stark for the Center for Business and Social Justice, an initiative of BSR that seeks to mobilize companies to take systemic and intersectional approaches to their social impact efforts. Jarrid’s role includes developing research, thought leadership, frameworks, and capacity-building opportunities related to corporate social impact strategies. He also provides collaborative oversight and direction for the Center’s organizational and administrative functions, and acilitates the execution of the Center’s ongoing corporate, civil society stakeholder, and donor activities.
Connect with Jen and Jarrid:
Business for Social Responsibility: bsr.org/en/collaboration/groups/center-for-business-and-social-justice
Jen Stark LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jenstark
Jarrid Green LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jarridgreenmba
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books
Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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This month's Hot Take is a bit of a hodgepodge. You're going to get the chance the tell me more about you and what you want to see on the show this year (and maybe share what you wish were different) - and I warn you: I'm gonna go on a bit of a rant about how we need to desperately stop moving backwards and band together to keep achieving progress - for ourself, our organizations, and our world. You may think I'm being political and ranty, but I am truly sharing facts - albeit yes, with my personal and professional opinion layered in for context. I mean, that's why you love me, right?! My goal is to inspire you to think differently about what you are hearing and seeing and stay focused on moving forward.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Ambition, competitiveness, bravery, and strength are all key human traits. They do not need to be labeled as masculine or feminine. They belong to everyone.Sharing opportunity does not remove anyone else's opportunity. It opens the doors for more people and greater success for all.All this backlash to DEI, empathy, and emotional intelligence is a mere distraction to the last dying gasp of an old-world leadership paradigm."That is what inclusion means: a place where you don't have to pretend to be something you're not. A place where everyone has the opportunity and access to grow and contribute - and yes, feel safe doing so." — Maria Ross
Episode References:
Listener Feedback! Please fill out the short survey here at https://bit.ly/edge-feedbackHuffPost: Mark Zuckerberg Praises 'Masculine' Corporate Energy Amid Meta's DEI Policy ReversalEdie Falco Reads a Letter to White SupremacistsInc: The U.S. Economy May Be Too Strong for Its Own GoodThe Center for Public Integrity: New data shows why the U.S. needs more immigrantsAdvocate: Apple, Costco stand behind DEI programsHR Grapevine: 'Doubling down' | Costco ties its colours to the mast as attacks on DEI continueFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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When we have information to give, the communication doesn't start and end with just one email, announcement, or conversation. Effective communication is more than just the info you deliver, or the words you say. It requires empathy. This is a note for anyone needing to communicate strategic shifts, return-to-work policies, performance expectations, or even layoffs.
Tamsen Webster and I discuss why her work is driven by her desire to only do things once! How the risk of change belongs with the person or organization asking for it, how to understand the why behind how people approach change, and the first step in building buy-in that most people skip. She shares why leveraging pain is almost always guaranteed to fail long-term and how it’s almost always possible to find common ground (and if it’s not, to have a way to identify those differences clearly and without judgment).
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Every decision has a story. Every action or change we decide on has won the argument even if it is only internal.It is important to understand the story, the heart of the message, surrounding the conversations about change.Pain is the ally of quick action, but a brain in pain is not a rational brain. Once rationality is resumed, those decisions are often reconsidered.If people don’t understand what you’re saying it doesn’t matter how powerful or important what you are saying is."Anchor the outcome of the change in something that you fully acknowledge and you share with the person that you're talking to." — Tamsen Webster
Episode References:
Tamsen Website: Why Great Stories Are Empathy MachinesDia Bondi: How to Ask Like An AuctioneerSarah R. Moore: It’s Possible to Parent AND Lead without Punishment- the Brain Science Behind ItFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Tamsen Webster, Message Designer and Author, Say What They Can't Unhear
Part message designer, part English-to-English translator, part magpie, Tamsen Webster helps leaders craft their case for large-scale change. In addition to her work in and for major organizations such as Harvard Medical School, Fidelity Investments, and Klaviyo, she’s a judge and mentor for the Harvard Innovation Labs, a professional advisor at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, and has spent over 10 years as the Idea Strategist for one of only nine legacy-level TEDx events in the world. She was named to the Thinkers50 Radar in 2022 and is the author of two books, Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible and Say What They Can't Unhear: The 9 Principles of Lasting Change. She lives in Boston with her husband, two sons, and two brindle Greyhounds, Hazel and Walnut.
Connect with Tamsen:
Website: messagedesigninstitute.com
Book: Say What They Can't Unhear
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tamsenwebster
FREE RESOURCE: The Compact Case, designed to help people apply the principles of Say What They Can't Unhear to their own case for change. thecompactcase.com.
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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What do you do when striving to be a more human-centered leader or colleague, trying to advance your career, build your skills, and make a difference, and you're stuck with an imperfect leader, dysfunctional culture, or too much work? You start by leading yourself!
Today, Elizabeth Lotardo and I discuss making the most of a job that’s not your dream job. Elizabeth shares why management is harder than it was 10-20 years ago, and how to work best with imperfect bosses of all kinds. We touch on how to advocate for yourself with empathy. She shares talk tracks and mindset shifts to help you navigate how you can influence controlling the controllable and put yourself back in the driver's seat. She also shares a 10-second Jedi mind trick to shift complaining employees into accountable problem solvers!
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
It’s not your job to make someone else more empathetic. It is your job to control your reactions and the behavior that you’re modeling.It’s about leading yourself - not just in your career, but also through your career which includes new jobs as you choose.Even with all our faults, we, as humans, need one another. As you lead yourself, don’t forget those around you."If you are working for a human being, you’re working for an imperfect boss." — Elizabeth Lotardo
Episode References:
Rhonda George-Denniston: Why Betting on Your People Leads to Market DominationElizabeth's HBR Articles:
How to Work for a Boss Who Always Changes Their MindHow to Be a Purpose-Driven Leader Without Burning OutFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Elizabeth Lotardo: VP, McLeod and More and Author, Leading Yourself
Elizabeth Lotardo is a consultant, writer, and online instructor who helps organizations drive emotional engagement. Her new book, Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have has been called a refreshingly candid playbook that helps you create a work experience worth loving, right now.
With an undergraduate degree in advertising from Boston University and a Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Elizabeth works with senior leaders, frontline managers, and entry-level teammates to create more purpose-driven work experiences. Her clients include Salesforce, DraftKings, Hilton, and numerous Berkshire Hathaway organizations.
She is also a popular LinkedIn Learning instructor. Elizabeth writes for Harvard Business Review and her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and NPR.
Connect with Elizabeth:
McLeod & More: mcleodandmore.com
Personal Website: elizabethlotardo.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elizabethlotardo
Book: Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have (Despite Imperfect Bosses, Weird Economies, Lethargic Coworkers, Annoying Systems, and Too Many Deliverables)
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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You've heard me talk about Both/And leadership and about Both/And business models. The ability to balance mission-driven, social impact work with sustainable profit and growth AT THE SAME TIME. It is possible, and it's not just a theory. Today, we talk with Jonathan Beck, someone who knows this firsthand.
Today, Jonathan and I discuss the tension between purpose and profit and how to recognize if you are in a growth vs. survival mindset. He chats about how to integrate compassionate and impact-driven business practices while building a business and making a profit, how nonprofits can scale personalization to drive more impact, and how to leverage innovation to make a difference. Jonathan peels back the curtain on the surprising con being run by many leading CRM players on nonprofits and how we can create a marketplace of meaning. Finally, he shares how WeGive successfully models values such as transparency, honesty, and accountability to gain trust and build relationships that benefit the company and the customer at the same time.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
In a non-profit organization, your donors are your customers. You should have an ideal donor in the same way that for-profit organizations have ideal clients. It’s not enough to just say “We need your help.”Non-profits are often so busy taking care of their mission and purpose that they forget to take care of their internal team. You must steward your own culture while trying to save the world.No matter the size of your organization, as a leader, you must model accountability and vulnerability with your team. This allows others to take responsibility for what they bring to the table.How to increase engagement is not a mystery. It all comes back to creating an environment where people know their contribution and perspective matters."Giving is going digital. Consumer expectations are that they have an incredible digital experience. It’s about trust and communication. It’s about a purchase of identity, ultimately." — Jonathan Beck
From Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Jonathan Beck, Founder/CEO, WeGive
Jonathan Beck is a seasoned software and financial technology entrepreneur with a strong foundation in faith-based initiatives. After successful ventures in Silicon Valley, including as a founding team member for the global digital payments solution PayStand, Jonathan returned to his roots to make a meaningful impact in the nonprofit sector. He founded WeGive, a SaaS platform that empowers nonprofits and faith-based organizations with cutting-edge fundraising and donor engagement tools. With a passion for supporting mission-driven causes, Jonathan leverages his expertise to help organizations grow, engage supporters, and maximize their impact.
Connect with Jonathan:
WeGive: wegive.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathanbeck1
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Welcome to Courage to Advance, hosted by Kim Bohr and brought to you by SparkEffect, in partnership with The Empathy Edge. Tune in here every 3rd Thursday, or visit CourageToAdvancePodcast.com.
Kim Bohr and anthropologist Aaron Delgaty, PhD dive deep into the "arrival fallacy" - the pervasive belief that happiness and fulfillment lie just beyond the next project deadline, quarter, or milestone. Drawing from extensive research on workplace dynamics, they explore how four essential elements - continuity, reciprocity, purpose, and hope - shape our working relationships and overall job satisfaction. Through the lens of anthropology and organizational behavior, they examine why we fall into patterns of perpetually postponing contentment and how this impacts everything from team dynamics to bottom-line business outcomes.
The conversation weaves together insights from Gallup's research on employee engagement, real-world examples of boundary setting, and practical strategies for breaking free from the "things will get better" cycle. You will be challenged to have honest conversations about work relationships and learn why misalignment isn't always about bad management.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Having honest conversations with yourself and others is crucial for maintaining healthy working relationshipsThe four essential elements of working relationships are: continuity, reciprocity, purpose, and hopeSetting clear boundaries is vital for sustainable work practices and personal wellbeingMisalignment in work relationships isn't always about bad management - sometimes it's about fitEven introverts need to talk about workplace challenges to create positive change"The arrival fallacy is like balancing on a one-legged stool of hope. You might maintain it temporarily, but you're operating on an unsustainable promise of 'someday.'" - Aaron Delgaty, PhD
About Aaron Delgaty, PhD
Aaron Delgaty, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist and ethnographer. He received his doctorate in cultural anthropology from the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020. His research explores what shapes worker and workplace resilience and how resilience resists, crumbles, or reforms in the aftermath of personal and collective disaster. In addition to teaching research methods and anthropological theory, Aaron leads research for brand strategy agency TSC.
About SparkEffect
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Aaron Delgaty, PhD
The anthropology of work: aarondelgaty.com
TSC: tsc.chat
Aaron’s Book: Working Relationships: Crisis and resilience at the heart of employee experience
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adelgaty
Connect with Kim Bohr and SparkEffect
SparkEffect: sparkeffect.com
Courage to Advance recording and resources:
sparkeffect.com/courage-to-advance-podcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sparkeffect
LinkedIn for Kim Bohr: linkedin.com/in/kimbohr
Connect with Maria:
Get Maria's new book: TheEmpathyDilemma.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Can genius and empathy coexist or are we doomed to put up with tortured, erratic leaders to find breakthroughs? People cite examples of temperamental, even bullying, genius leaders who create toxic workplaces and use their ability to unlock innovation as an excuse for their damaging behavior. My guest today, Taryn Voget, debunks this myth, shows us what genius is all about, and how empathy serves as a catalyst for genius.
Today we discuss what genius is and why it's not simply about being born with it. Taryn shares the link between genius, spirituality, and empathy - and some unique ways leaders have leveraged empathy to achieve innovative insights. She shares how genius actually works and offers you tips on how to enhance your and your team's genius in the workplace. You will leave today's episode inspired to embrace and cultivate your own genius.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Genius is a verb, it is not something you can measure on a test.Effective engagement and genius happen when you try to see things from the other person's point of view and address those goals, fears, needs, expectations, and aspirations.Are you excited as a leader? The energy you bring will be the energy that the team feels. If you’re not operating from excitement, how can you expect your team to be?"Genius is activated through excitement, because that is the driving engine that creates continuous improvement, getting better over time." — Taryn Voget
Episode References:
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth GilbertThe Empathy Edge podcast: Denise Roberson: Mistakes Leaders and Boards Make When Thinking About PurposeFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Taryn Voget: Founder, EveryDay Genius
Taryn Voget is a leading expert on genius and the founder of Everyday Genius, a media and education company that unpacks the strategies of genius from the world’s top minds. Through her engaging and relatable videos and podcast, Taryn shares these strategies with actionable insights that help people fast-track their growth and unleash their genius.
Known for her dynamic talks on genius, innovation, passion, purpose, and business, Taryn inspires audiences to think bigger and aim higher. She’s the author of six books on the strategies of genius (plus a memoir!) and works with individuals and organizations to uncover and amplify their unique genius.
Taryn's clients include industry giants such as SpaceX, Disney, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gap Inc., Genentech, and many more.
Connect with Taryn:
Everyday Genius: everydaygenius.tv
Taryn Voget Consulting: tarynvoget.com
X: x.com/tarynvoget
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tarynvoget
Facebook: facebook.com/tarynvoget
Instagram: instagram.com/tarynvoget
YouTube: youtube.com/@tarynvoget
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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When did soft skills like empathy become deprioritized in the tech industry? My guest today shares a little history lesson on how that happened and why initially those soft, human skills were always a vital part of successful innovation and technology before they got separated. Only now are they finding their way back to each other in software development and programming to solve the 21st century's most complex challenges.
Today, I talk with Andrea Goulet. We talk about how soft skills like empathy lost favor in technology curricula, and how she built her business centered around empathy before it successfully merged with another company. She talks about the research she uncovered on programming models that parallel human communication. And we discussed why the current AI landscape is moving so fast but that her models can be used to ensure we intentionally apply empathy to deal with long-term consequences while still gaining short-term benefits.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Investing in empathetic communication will positively impact any team you’re on. Having a good understanding of empathy drives any industry.80 to 90% of our miscommunications happen at the concept level because you can say something and someone can understand the word but might think of it as a different thing.The four dimensions of human communication and our ability to pivot and understand one another are: catch, collect, connect, and communicate."Whether we're talking about software, building pyramids, or finding new ways to hunt and take down the mammoth, empathy is the mechanism that enables us to communicate, collaborate, and solve complex problems together." — Andrea Goulet
Episode References:
Ilana Ben-Ari: How The Empathy Toy is Changing the WorldFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Andrea Goulet: Co-Founder, CorgiBytes, Founder, Empathy in Tech
Andrea Goulet is on a mission to integrate empathy into the software industry. She is a sought-after international keynote speaker, experienced software executive, and award-winning industry leader. Her expertise centers on using empathy and effective communication to modernize legacy and mission-critical software systems.
Through her online courses, Andrea has taught over 50,000 students how to level up their empathy and communication skills to create better software. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Empathy-Driven Software Development, and the founder of Empathy in Tech, an online community where code and compassion connect.
Connect with Andrea:
Website: andreagoulet.com
Empathy in Tech: empathyintech.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andreamgoulet
Her coming book: Empathy-Driven Software Development
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Your culture is shaped by models, expectations, and accountability. It's not enough to have pretty values statements up on the wall if they are not a part of everyday interactions internally and externally. But simply telling your people to "be nice" can be its own risk. What does nice actually mean? How is it different from the skill of empathy or the impact of kindness? You may be surprised to learn why simply being nice can be risky and why empathy and kindness are more practical values to model and reward.
My guest today is Mikaela Kiner, founder, CEO, and executive coach. We discuss the risk of being nice and how it can hamper connection and results. Why and how to expect kindness from everyone you work with - from colleagues to partners to clients. How clarity is kind - and leads to better results. Mikaela shares tips on making more space to practice listening and empathy and the tradeoff you make when you claim you "don't have time" to build those connections with your employees. And Mikaela shares why two big-empathy, high EQ execs from two of the largest tech giants in the world are her all-time favorite clients.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Helping people figure out if they’re in the right role is empathetic. Forcing someone to stay in a role because it’s “nice” isn’t empathetic. People tend to think short-term, but we need to consider long-term investment. Putting time into your team will help with retention, which will save time in recruiting and training later. Schedule less in your day. Then, when a team member reaches out or an emergency happens, things will feel less frantic and frustrating, which leads to greater empathy.Think of tactics as a team that will help your organization feel less busy and less frantic by scheduling in buffer time."Something that so many people forget is that you can have really healthy, non-adversarial conflict. We can disagree, we can speak our minds, we can hash things out in a way that isn't nasty or argumentative." — Mikaela Kiner
Episode References:
The Empathy Edge Podcast: Justin Jones-Fosu: How to Respectfully Disagree - and Not in a Passive-Aggressive WayI Respectfully Disagree by Justin Jones FosuFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
About Mikaela Kiner, Founder & CEO, Reverb
Mikaela Kiner is a founder, CEO, and executive coach. Her company Reverb helps organizations create healthy, inclusive cultures. Prior to Reverb, Mikaela held HR leadership roles at Northwest companies including Microsoft, Starbucks, and Amazon. She enjoys coaching leaders at all levels and working with mission-driven organizations. Mikaela is the author of Female Firebrands: Stories and Techniques to Ignite Change, Take Control, and Succeed in the Workplace. Her young adult children are good at challenging the status quo and are a constant source of learning and laughter.
Connect with Mikaela:
Reverb: reverbpeople.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mikaelakiner
Instagram: instagram.com/mikaela_firebrand
Book: Female Firebrands
Online Training: Practical Skills for Great People Leaders: reverbpeople.com/services/leadership-development/on-demand-management-training
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
X: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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Imagine a world where compassion is the norm. This is the world I'm trying to build with my work. In this final Hot Take episode of 2024, I talk about the importance of humanity, compassion, and empathy in all aspects of our lives and businesses and remembering those things that matter most as we go into 2025. With clear statistics from the 2024 Businesssolver State of Workplace Empathy report showing increased loneliness, toxic workplaces, and higher mental health challenges, it’s key that we fight against these negative trends by embracing our values, modeling them, celebrating them, and rewarding them in whatever sphere of influence we have. We fight by disproving the false belief that you can't be empathetic and successful or impactful at the same time.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
Key Takeaways:
Business is just another way we humans interact with one another. We should be able to be whole people wherever we are in the world. However, we move about it, and with whomever we choose to interact. We cannot “go gentle into that goodnight,” as poet Dylan Thomas once wrote. Human connection, empathy, and compassion are worth fighting for. Embracing empathy is how we will change the cultures of toxic workplaces and improve mental health."I invite you to be part of turning the tide - speak out, and model empathy and compassion whether you're with your kids, on social media, stuck in traffic, or, yes, at a budget meeting at work." — Maria Ross
Episode References:
Get a volume discount on multiple copies of The Empathy Dilemma for employees, Colleagues, partners, clients, or customers: Check out both Book Passage and Porchlight Books at www.TheEmpathyDilemma.com. For brand customization or a custom landing page for fulfillment, please contact me directly and I'll take care of you with Porchlight: https://red-slice.com/contact/A Force for Good: The Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World by Daniel Goleman2024 Businessolver State of Workplace EmpathyApple TV series SeveranceRelated Articles:
3 Observations About Compassion from the Dalai LamaHow Purpose Leads to Company SuccessEmpathy for Others Starts with Empathy for YourselfFrom Our Partner:
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
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In today's episode of Courage to Advance, brought to you by SparkEffect, Kim Bohr and Tracy Wik, VP of Business Strategy at Harrison Assessments, challenge traditional approaches to workplace stress. Drawing from decades of behavioral data and leadership experience, they expose how burnout often stems from unconscious behavioral patterns rather than workload alone.
With 83% of U.S. workers suffering from workplace stress and 76% saying it affects their personal relationships, organizations continue investing in wellness programs and workload reduction—yet engagement and productivity still suffer. Why? They're treating symptoms, not causes.
Kim and Tracy demonstrate how our greatest strengths—whether being extraordinarily helpful, highly empathetic, or achievement-driven—can become our biggest derailers when overused. Drawing from Dr. Dan Harrison's research on leadership paradoxes, they reveal how balancing seemingly contradictory behaviors is essential for sustainable leadership success.
You'll discover:
Why high performers unknowingly sabotage their effectivenessThe critical difference between personality traits and behavioral tendenciesPractical strategies for breaking the burnout cycleHow to develop a more expansive leadership repertoireDon't miss the special offer for listeners to access the Harrison Assessment tool, complete with a professional debrief. Additional resources, including a self-reflection guide, are available at CourageToAdvancePodcast.com.
To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com
"People don't work in aggregate. They work in moments, they work in conversations, they work in individual connections." - Tracy Wik, VP of Business Strategy
Episode References:
Self-Defeating Behaviors that Kill Good Work: The Leadership Triangle by Dan Harrison, Pd.D.The Benefits of Employee Engagement: Gallop 10th-meta-analysis researchLeadership Bermuda Triangle Assessment: 15 Warning Signs of Team Misalignment & PerformanceAbout Tracey Wik, VP of Business Strategy, Harrison Assessments:
A disruptive talent management strategist, Tracy Wik transforms how executives view their workplaces and careers. With over two decades of experience, she sees beyond spreadsheets to unlock human potential, helping leaders reimagine what's possible. A recognized speaker on strategy, culture and women's entrepreneurship, Tracy developed innovative executive coaching programs to advance women into senior leadership roles and serves as a Founding Forty Board member of DePaul University's Women's Entrepreneurship Institute, the only research-based women's accelerator globally. Her mission: make executives love Monday mornings by turning workplaces from soul-crushing machines into engines of human possibility.
About SparkEffect
SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.
Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.
Connect with Tracey Wik and Harrison Assessments:
Harrison Assessments: harrisonassessments.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/traceywik
Connect with Kim Bohr and SparkEffect:
SparkEffect: sparkeffect.com
Courage to Advance: sparkeffect.com/courage-to-advance-podcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sparkeffect
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kimbohr
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria: Red-Slice.com
Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross
Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
Instagram: @redslicemaria
Facebook: Red Slice
Threads: @redslicemaria
We would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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