• Summary

  • Failed product launches. Furious customers. Dysfunctional teams. Many of the problems we face in the business world (and frankly, society) stem from the same root cause: Lack of empathy. Each week, brand strategist, author and speaker Maria Ross shares keen insights and inspiring interviews that prove empathy and compassion are the new paths to market-winning performance. Leveraging both inspiring stories and hard data, Ross connects empathetic leadership and brands to more innovation, happier stakeholders, and lucrative bottom-line results. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to amplify your impact, and learn how compassionate business tactics can transform your organization from the inside out. The Empathy Edge podcast provides a quick dose of motivation, wisdom, and practical actions that executive leaders, entrepreneurs and change makers can use right now. Ready to infuse YOUR organization with more empathy? Tune in to learn why cash flow and compassion are not mutually exclusive.
    2020-2022 Maria Ross
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Episodes
  • Ben Easter: Are You a Nonviolent Communicator? (You May Not Be!)

    Ben Easter: Are You a Nonviolent Communicator? (You May Not Be!)
    May 17 2022

    Are you engaging in violent or nonviolent communication? Knowing how to make the shift is vital to being an effective leader - and communicator. Today, I got the chance to speak to Ben Easter, founder of Lucid Shift Coaching. Ben and I unfortunately both share the title of brain injury survivor - and in this episode, he shares how that experience led him to learn all he could about effective communication. We discuss the power of the brain to adapt and learn new skills and strategies - and how that relates to how we communicate with others.  Ben shares what violent and non-violent communication look like and how to spot them in yourself. He gives us a sample role play and practical strategies to shift into non-violent communication, and we discuss how self-reflection, language choice and boundaries play a big role in that shift. This episode will cause you to reflect on how you talk and invite you to find a new way of interacting with your colleagues, employees - and yes, even loved ones.

     

    Key Takeaways:

    • Nonviolent communication is a language of expressing what's alive in us to other people in such a way that we give them opportunities to contribute to it.
    • Noticing the language we use is the first step to becoming a nonviolent communicator. Need, Have To, Must, Should, and other such word choices are red flags for stepping into violent communication. 
    • Nonviolent communication is a practice. The more you notice and do it, the more you will connect the neural pathways. 

     

    “Defense is the first act of aggression. If we come in with the idea that we're defending something, things get tense. Rather than defending, I like to think about enrolling people. What are we doing? What do we both care about?”  —  Ben Easter

     

    About Ben Easter, Founder Lucid Shift Coaching:

    Benjamin Easter is the Founder and Head Coach at Lucid Shift Coaching where they are on a mission to help badass business owners to break through their limiting beliefs and outthink their challenges so that they can have more freedom and impact.

    Connect with Ben Easter

    Website: www.LucidShiftCoaching.com

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamineaster/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LucidShiftCoaching

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucid_shift_coaching/

     

     

    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.com

    Learn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: 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

    Twitter: @redslice

    Facebook: Red Slice
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    54 mins
  • Ron Gura: How Technology Helps People Navigate Grief and Loss

    Ron Gura: How Technology Helps People Navigate Grief and Loss
    May 10 2022

    Every single human experiences death and loss at some point and yet our systems and organizations are not set up to be empathetic to those needs. When a loved one dies, not only are there a thousand logistical tasks like booking a funeral home, getting life insurance paid out, or canceling credit cards - you have to deal with all of this in the worst possible emotional state. The more employers can support their employees practically and emotionally during these difficult times, the better. 

    My guest, Ron Gura, put technology on the case to ease the burden for the bereaved. Today, we talk about the end of life market, the personal story of how this company came to be, how leaders can show up for the bereaved, what people now expect from their workplaces when dealing with major life events, and how the company itself embeds empathy into everything from product design to employee experience. We also talk about why mission-driven companies are poised to win - and how yours can, too.

     

    Key Takeaways:

    • Sympathy is just words and doesn’t mean anything. Empathy has power and potential to radically transform society. 
    • By putting yourself in your employees' and consumers’ shoes at every step of the way, you don’t need to overthink what it means to have an empathetic culture. 
    • If your company and employees understand what it is that you are trying to do for your clients and, deep down, what it is that they need, the empathy will come and be infused in everything you do. 

     

    "If employers want to aim for long-term meaningful relationships with employees, then it's not just going to be the cocktails and the big events, it's also going to be that meaningful action that you do when things get rough, when I'm dealing with something that is bigger than me." —  Ron Gura

     

    About Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO, Empathy:

    Ron is a tech entrepreneur who has brought his love for developing empowering products to startups and major international corporations alike. He is co-founder and CEO of Empathy - Empathy was created with one mission in mind: to help families deal with loss. With a combination of technology and human support, the Empathy app helps families through all the financial, legal, emotional, and logistical challenges after losing a loved one.

    Connect with Empathy and Ron Gura:

    Website: https://www.empathy.com

    Empathy recently released a report looking into the cost of dying in the US, financially, logistically, and emotionally. https://www.empathy.com/costofdying

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/empathy

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empathy-com

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empathyforfamilies/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empathy_com/

     

     

    Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy

     

     

    Connect with Maria: 

    Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com

    Learn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: 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

    Twitter: @redslice

    Facebook: Red Slice
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    48 mins
  • Maynard Okereke: The Hip Hop M.D. Shares How to Spark Curiosity and Passion

    Maynard Okereke: The Hip Hop M.D. Shares How to Spark Curiosity and Passion
    May 3 2022
    What do you get when you cross hip hop, YouTube, and science education? You get my guest today, Maynard Okereke. Maynard is a science communicator best known as the Hip Hop M.D for making science fun for kids - and getting them involved in S.T.E.M. fields. Today Maynard shares his story about how he got from civil engineering to being the Hip Hop MD - and we share the crazy story of how we met more than a decade ago!  He talks about what it's like to work with young people and teachers to spark curiosity and foster passion - and how those lessons can help your organization better connect with young people and attract them with a more innovative, diverse workplace. He shares how important it is to make topics fun and relatable to both kids and adults  - great advice for all you team leaders and marketers out there. We dive into why innovation, especially in tech, requires play and imagination, and how we can break science's norms and stereotypes to not only encourage young people to pursue STEM fields, but encourage their natural curiosity  - and hopefully spark that in adults as well. Key Takeaways:If kids can’t see it, they can’t be it. Be who you are authentically and share your knowledge and information. Who knows who you will touch when you do?People need to own the work that they do. They need to understand the purpose, the passion, and the vision in it. If you aren’t around people with different backgrounds and who look different than you, you will have one perspective and have a harder time connecting with those around you as you are stuck in your own perspective. Stay curious. You’re never too old to explore something new. Curiosity is the number one trait of empathetic people (and it will bring you inspiration and excitement)! "We know that diversity is where it's at - in order to bring new innovations to the table, to bring new life. Technology is driven by diversity." —  Maynard Okereke About Maynard Okereke: Hip Hop M.D., Science CommunicatorMaynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D., graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Civil Engineering.  He is an award winning Science Communicator, having received both the Asteroid Award for "Best Streaming Content" and the People of Change Award for his community outreach efforts.  His passion for science and entertainment, along with his curiosity for new innovation has taken him through an incredible life journey.Noticing a lack of minority involvement in the S.T.E.M. fields, he created Hip Hop Science with the goal of encouraging minorities and youth to pursue more advanced career paths.  His background in engineering, acting, business, and credible work within the music industry as an artist, make him uniquely qualified to engage on a wide variety of topics from an entertaining perspective.  This is highly reflected in his weekly vlogs and daily social media posts which provide both humorous and informative #SciComm content. Connect with Maynard Okereke:  Website: www.HipHopScienceShow.comTwitter:  https://www.twitter.com/thehiphopmdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maynardokereke/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiphopscienceshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiphopscienceshow  Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy  Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice
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    37 mins
Management Marketing Economics Social Sciences Relationships
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