When you think of empathetic organizations, you think of nonprofits and community organizations. Today, I talk with Heather Hiscox who discusses the need for those in the social impact space to embrace empathy so they can innovate, iterate, and better serve the communities they seek to benefit. We talk about how social impact organizations can apply design thinking and we tackle the mindset shift social impact leaders need to make from “creating for” to “creating with” their stakeholders. Finally we discuss how leaders of any sector can prepare for the journey of empathy and embrace vulnerability in order to understand another’s experience and find real results and lasting impact.
Key Takeaways:
- You don’t get a free pass by being in the social sector – most of the sector is white, so we need to check our privilege and our perspectives.
- The first step in diversity and inclusion work is exposure and really understanding what you don’t know and need to go learn.
- It is vital for organizations to analyze, interrogate, and really understand the perspective they hold of the folks that they serve.
“As a sector, we need to know that we don’t get a free pass. We have to check our privilege and check our perspectives.” — Heather Hiscox
About Heather Hiscox:
Founder and CEO, Pause for Change
Heather is a social entrepreneur passionate about creating communities focused on assets, abilities, and abundance. Heather is Founder and CEO of Pause for Change, a company that helps nonprofit, local government, and philanthropic organizations address challenges in less time, using fewer resources, while creating deeper impact. Heather is also the Co-Creator of an online talk show, Possibility Project, that tackles issues of disruptive change in the social sector. Heather speaks at national conferences about social impact disruption and innovation, and has launched several ventures that benefit the social impact sector, connecting organizations to the training, skills, and resources needed to deepen their impact.
Connect with Heather:
Pause for Change: http://www.pauseforchange.com
The Possibility Project: https://www.possibilityproject.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherHiscox1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-hiscox-1a61623a/
Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy
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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
LinkedIn: Maria Ross
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Twitter: @redslice
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