The Empathy Edge

Talking about racism is hard. But ignoring it doesn't make it go away. Empathy requires us to be humble and curious and to sometimes have hard, honest, emotional conversations. Only in acknowledging wrongs can we make things right -and that actually benefits all of us.  Today, my guest Saira Rao gets real about the role seemingly well-intentioned and even Liberal white women play in supportin...

You don't have to wait for empathy to strike. You can intentionally choose to engage in what my guest today calls Purposeful Empathy to change the dynamic of any interaction. But how? And how do you maintain your own boundaries when being empathic is part of your job?  Today, my guest, Anita Nowak, shares what purposeful empathy is, how and when to engage it, and even how to step back and rec...

Racism was designed to keep us apart, It was designed to create conflict and a scarcity mindset. When we're socialized to hide our authentic selves and not bring who we really are to every interaction, we just cannot connect. Leaders, whether tackling diversity and inclusion or just everyday engagement and performance, can learn a lot of lessons about how authenticity and connection lead to better...

Great leaders are self-aware about their own strengths and encourage their teams to be as well. They harmonize everyone's strengths, including their own, so folks know when to lean in or rely on others.  These leaders actively leverage strengths to achieve high performance, but it starts with being willing and curious about your strengths. Today, Brandon Miller and I talk about the GALLUP Clifton...

It's already time to make space in your exceedingly full schedule to plan your goals for next year. So why does this happen to us, every year? I propose it's because we go about planning all wrong. We start with all the things we think we “should” want, rather than focus on what's already going right and setting intentions into motion that not only get us where we want to go, but give us more ease...

We all know that when it comes to leadership and accomplishing a mission, the US Military is hard to beat. But we think we understand what that means - it's actually not about cold commands or ranks and titles. If you want to become a more effective leader, then tune in! My guests, John Buford and Sean Georges, both former military leaders themselves, unpack the fundamentals of good leadership so...

As we slide into Thanksgiving here in the United States, I'm facing mixed emotions about this holiday as I get older and wiser. Now, don't get me wrong, I have a lot to be thankful for, but let's talk for a second about the myth of thanksgiving. From a traditional perspective, gathering with friends and family and reflecting on all we have to be grateful for holds comfort and joy. No matter how dy...

We've been through some serious business and culture shifts the last few years. But this is the way things always are. If it's not COVID, it will surely be something else in the future. Remember, the only constant is change, even if you don't ask or plan for it. How can you examine, design and measure your organization's ability  - and your own leadership ability - to build trust so you can m...

If you've ever experienced the healthcare system due to a medical emergency or a chronic illness, then you know the system is often set up to deliver cookie cutter outputs based on inputs. There is little room for "true empathy" even though many healthcare professionals want to help people. In healthcare - and in our workplaces and organizations - we tend to get empathy wrong! Empathy is not about...

What is it like to go through life as a man, build a successful career, get married and have kids -  and then come out as a woman in your late 40's? What is it like to experience life from a different gender vantage point? How is your culture creating an environment where diverse people of all backgrounds, such as trans individuals, can do their best work? These are the questions we tackle today w...

How often do you challenge your assumptions about others and get curious - especially about those in your workplace or your family who have different views than you, political or otherwise? In our increasingly polarized society, my guest today, Mónica Guzmán, believes that we can't count on institutions to bridge those divides for us - we have to do it one conversation, one person, at a time.   To...

Can we ever bridge our political divides here in the US? Every day, things seem to get worse. We argue over guns, abortion, civil rights, and whether removing state secrets from the White House and locking them in your safe at home constitutes a crime. But what would happen if people on both sides could engage in meaningful dialogue? What if we all took personal responsibility to spot the lies by...

Today, Maria is not messing around! Learn why change is hard, even when it's a good thing, and what you can do to break free of past habits. When infusing more empathy into your leadership, culture, or brand, you may face internal or external resistance - but that has nothing to do with whether you are going in the right direction or not. It's a sign of transformation. Hear how our brains work and...

Change is hard, even when it's a change that makes our lives easier. Today, I speak with Melina Palmer, CEO of The Brainy Business, expert in behavioral economics for organizations around the world, and the author of What Your Employees Need and Can’t Tell You . We give you a refresher on behavioral economics and how our human brains work - especially the conscious and unconscious parts of our bra...

We, as marketers, all understand how important it is to get to know our customers. But what discipline are we bringing to that process? Do we understand the many levels of empathy we need to have for them, and how to translate those insights into the customer experience and product or service? Today, Emily Vernon, shares so much wisdom about how to look at our customers' experience. We talk about...

Leadership has changed in the last few years, and it can be disorienting for leaders who've subscribed to and succeeded with the old narratives about good leadership. Companies and their leaders need to reframe their cultures to meet the new world of work in the 21st century. It's more than just being nice or being a "cool" boss or giving everyone free lunch. It requires deep and honest self-asses...

What is a badass leader? According to my guest today, they're badasses who go 80MPH in a 45MPH zone but don’t always check to see if their team is strapped in or interested in going for the ride. These leaders are high value to a company but their "prickly" edges may start to diminish their value. But what if we could help those leaders embrace more empathy and channel that energy and drive into s...

Oh the price we've paid - as both black and white people - because of racism. If we truly want to achieve racial solidarity, we have to start by talking about race, not racism. My guest today Daniel Jahn, DJ for short, has been involved with racial justice and solidarity work for 25 years.  Today, DJ offers us a history lesson about where the concept of race comes from and the real motive beh...

If you are an ambitious, hard-driving leader who never stops to take a breath - you need to listen to today's episode. Pausing as a leader is vital to making better decisions, regulating your emotions, and creating stronger relationships with your team. You may think that rapid pace is the way to find success, but it will just burn you and your team out. Today my guest is Dr. Chris L. Johnson,&nbs...

Welcome to August Hot Takes! To celebrate the podcast's 2nd anniversary, we're shaking things up with some solo episodes from yours truly. I'm answering common questions attendees ask during my keynotes and trainings. How can I run my business with empathy? Whether you are part of a billion dollar organization or you are a solopreneur, there are valid business reasons to embrace empathy as part of...

Welcome to August Hot Takes! To celebrate the podcast's 2nd anniversary, we're shaking things up with some solo episodes from yours truly. I'm answering common questions attendees ask during my keynotes and trainings. Will one empathy workshop fix our culture? Empathy is like a marathon or any other skill you master over time. You need to train for it. Building up an empathy practice with a sustai...

Welcome to August Hot Takes! To celebrate the podcast's 2nd anniversary, we're shaking things up with some solo episodes from yours truly. I'm answering common questions attendees ask during my keynotes and trainings. This week: Why is active listening so hard?  Thanks for being here and enjoying the podcast. Would love to know what you think of this Hot Takes format.   Key Takeaways: Active liste...

Welcome to August Hot Takes! To celebrate the podcast's 2nd anniversary, we're shaking things up with some solo episodes from yours truly. I'm answering common questions attendees ask during my keynotes and trainings. First up: What is empathy? And what is it NOT? Let's get on the same page about what empathy in the workplace means, and bust some myths and misconceptions leaders have about it that...

Would you ever throw a dinner party and not even think about guest allergies, or how to make your guests feel most comfortable? Of course not! You would prepare. If only we approached language the way we approach hosting a party! Often on autopilot, we don't stop and think about the words we use and if they are inclusive or if they're damaging them in some unseen way. Words matter and we unintenti...

The pandemic has changed all the rules of work - they were actually evolving for a while, but COVID accelerated those changes, which left many leaders scrambling. How do we make hybrid work, digital work, remote work WORK for your organization? So many leaders are being thrown into uncharted waters. You may be confused, fearful, angry, stubborn, or unsure about how to make hybrid work, or if your...