Archives: Podcast Episodes

By far, the most popular story from my book The Empathy Edge is the story of Christina Harbridge and her magical collection agency. The story of how she created a culture of empathy that led to transforming a usually bleak work environment into a thriving culture, resulting in success rates 3X the industry average and whose clients would send thank you cards and wedding invitations! How did she do it? What is she doing now? Is the agency still around? These are all questions I get and ones Christina herself is here to talk us through today.

We also speak about how she accidentally stumbled on this business model – and how she now teaches leaders to do the same. She shares the biggest obstacles leaders face in transforming their cultures and breaking outdated models – and the financial success that comes from treating employees and customers with dignity, respect, and empathy. Finally, we talk about the important role of systems design in ensuring your company can actually live out it’s values day to day and make them more than a talking point.

Key Takeaways:

• The goal of your first interaction should never be to complete a transaction or whatever your agenda is, but to gather trust and to find out the truth. 
• Empathy is not a strategy. It is a feeling and a mindset. 
• To have a strong team, you need to have people that work differently than you do. Empathy is required to be curious and open to understanding the needs of those teammates. 

“What we were doing was filling people’s basic need to feel understood, which is an underlying need. That drives commitment.” —  Christina Harbridge

Christina Harbridge, Mischief Executive Officer, Allegory

Christina Harbridge is a behaviorist who trains and coaches individuals, teams and large groups to understand and leverage their own personal operating system when dealing with others who may or may not be rational.

Christina’s early experience as founder and CEO of a debt collection agency that collected debt through unorthodox tactics (such as being nice) shaped her worldview on workplace communication. Employees focused their interactions on filling a person’s need to feel understood through emotionally literate tactics, rather than focusing on trying to collect a debt that may not even have been owed. This values-based tactic, reinforced by bonuses paid on thank-you notes received, reinvigorated the industry by resulting in collections three times higher than the industry average. The proof was in the wedding invitations.

Christina has co-authored software, built and sold a successful finance industry company, practiced acrobatic swing dancing, participated as a NASA test subject and collaborated to design and weld several large-scale metal sculptures. She has served her community on the founding boards of The Bay Lights and Emerge America. Her story is covered in more detail in Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why,” Mike Maddock’s “Plan D,” and Maria Ross’ “The Empathy Edge.”

She is the author of Swayed: How to Communicate for Impact, which reached number one on Amazon’s ‘Conflict’ category list.

Connect with Christina

Website: https://www.allegoryinc.com/team/christina-harbridge/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charbridge?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-harbridge/

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

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

Book: Swayed: How to Communicate for Impact https://www.amazon.com/Swayed-Communicate-Impact-Christina-Harbridge/dp/0997296240

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

Caregivers in general, be they moms, dads or those caring for elder parents, are struggling at work right now in very specific ways. What can workplaces do to support them and see things from their point of view? Empathy combined with action will ensure you don’t lose top talent, but instead enable them to thrive and help your company succeed.

Today I have the utter joy to talk with Sara Dean, who knows a thing or two about moms and the many hats they wear at work and home. We talk about where exactly empathy is lacking for caregivers and what workplaces can do to better adapt and support them. Then, we switch gears to discuss the best ways to teach your kids empathy and share our personal journeys with our own kids so they can learn to appreciate and celebrate differences.

Key Takeaways:

•  If the Corporate world gave all parents permission to be the default parent, we would better understand that everyone needs certain exceptions during certain seasons of their life and it would no longer be looked at unkindly or as weird when a mom needs to feed a baby during a meeting.
• While workplaces are getting better because of the increased focus on DEI, corporations still need to look at the other identities that are carried by the people in their organization, visible or invisible, that they need to be making space for.
• There are ways to discuss race with children, as young as 2 or 3, that are age appropriate and healthy. These small conversations will lead to children being inquisitive and wondering what it’s like to live someone else’s experiences and lead with empathy. 

“We are all caretaking in really big ways right now. It ‘s important that we recognize the toll that it takes, and then create space for everyone’s ‘One disappointment away from breaking.’” —  Sara Dean

About Sara Dean, Creator and Host, Shameless Mom Academy Podcast

Sara Dean is a mindset, business and leadership coach.  She is also the creator and host of the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast, a top rated podcast with almost 4 million downloads.  Sara’s biggest passion is helping women own their space.  After enduring her own identity crisis following the birth of her son, Sara took her background in psychology/health/ wellness and rebuilt her identity, one step at a time.  Sara motivates and inspires women to stop shrinking and start shining.  She is on a mission to inspire women and moms, in particular, to live bigger, bolder, braver #everydamnday.

Sara serves women through her podcast, her thriving Momentum Mamas membership community, her Tenacious Mamas business & leadership mastermind and her annual event, Shameless Mom Con (coming this spring!)  

When she’s not supporting Shameless Moms, you’ll find Sara with her husband and 8 year old son – building Legos and pretending to understand Minecraft.

Connect with Sara Dean:

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/115233012688776

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

Podcast: https://shamelessmom.com/

THANK YOU TO THIS EPISODE’S SPONSOR: HOPE TIMBERLAKE

Our guest today is all about helping women shine. But lots of you may feel like you don’t have a voice at work. While I’ve never been told I have a problem speaking up, the truth is that even as an extrovert, I’ve  had moments of fear and discomfort in expressing myself. Maybe I was too junior, or the only whatever in the room, or had an unpopular opinion. We can all relate to those times.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you follow the rules, complete assignments, or  feel comfortable when you’re prepared.When it comes time to contribute, maybe you lose focus or get interrupted. Or like me, you fly off course and start rambling! Or maybe people overtly intimidating you, making you feel like you don’t have a voice.

I want you to know: You have a lot to contribute and your workplace – heck, the WORLD- needs your input. Studies show that diverse viewpoints make for smarter and more successful business decisions. 

One way to find your voice is to check out Speak Up, Dammit! How to Quiet Your Fears, Polish Your Presence and Share Your Voice, the newest book by Hope TImberlake. 

Hope is a speaker, trainer and author who focuses on leadership communication. She’s passionate about persuasive messaging, executive presence, and elevating the voices of women and those underrepresented in leadership. 

This book is for you if you have a hard time sharing your ideas when: 

• You’re challenged or ignored 
• You’re the most junior person in the room, and haven’t yet established credibility 
• You’re worried your contributions will sound stupid. 
• You don’t feel prepared
• The stakes are high
• Or, you’re the only one in the room who looks like you, 

In Speak Up, Dammit! you’ll find inspirational stories, critical tools, lessons,and exercises that will help you, at any level, overcome obstacles and share your voice at work.

.

Hope’s philosophy is focused on empathy. We have so many self critical thoughts inside our heads, and if you take that energy and push it outward, you’l be able to meet your listeners where they are. 

Have the impact you’ve always wanted to have. Buy the book today at http://www.HopeTimberlake.com or at your favorite bookseller. And if you want to help your teams confidently share their voices, get a seat at the table, and sound credible, please visit http://www.HopeTimberlake.com and click on the Speaking tab to learn more about what Hope can deliver to your team.

The world needs what you have to offer. Speak now, and don’t forever hold your peace!

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

Why is it important to ask questions, of ourselves and of others? Well, if you’re been here at this podcast for a minute, you know that curiosity is the #1 trait of empathetic people. My guest today, mental fitness practitioner, Marc Champagne shares how we are all one question away from changing our lives. Today, we talk about Marc’s obsessions with questions to get clarity, embrace intentionality, and explore possibility. We also talk about the Socratic Method and why you should care about the questions you ask – or don’t ask – in life and business. He shares some ideas for how to clear out your own mental fog and be more present. Take a listen to learn the art of asking questions to get more intentional and clear from our conversation today. 

Key Takeaways:

• We can all be our own personal Socrates. We all have our little coach sitting on our shoulder at any moment’s notice, no matter what’s happening in life, and even more excitingly, where we’re at in life. 
• To really properly hold space for another human you have to first hold space for yourself.
• Set ground rules that allow for you to open up a little bit more, be a little bit more vulnerable, and not feel so terrifying in the process.

“The biggest thing that I’ve learned is that we’re all one question away from a completely different life.” —  Marc Champagne

About Marc Champagne:

Marc Champagne + Writer & Mental Fitness Practitioner

Marc Champagne unpacks the mental fitness practices and reflective questions shaping the lives of some of the most successful and brilliant thinkers in the world. He is the host of the top 50 ranked podcast Behind The Human and co-founded the journaling app (KYO) which ended up reaching 86.9 million people without any paid advertising. He has studied mental fitness practices for over a decade and consults with Fortune 500 companies.

Marc’s first book,Personal Socrates: Questions That Will Upgrade Your Life From Legends And World-class Performers, explores the pointed questions that stimulate our mental fitness and teach us how to direct our internal narrative to work for us, instead of against us. Marc unpacks the prompts and mental fitness practices of legends such as Kobe Bryant, Maya Angelou, Robin Williams, James Clear, Coco Chanel, Stephen Hawking, and many others to bring clarity, intentionality, and possibility to every aspect of your life.

Connect with Marc:  

Book: Personal Socrates: Questions That Will Upgrade Your Life From Legends And World-class Performers

Website, Podcast and Book: https://www.BehindTheHuman.com  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcchampagne

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-14767b17

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

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

It’s not healthy that we have numbed our feelings so much as a society simply because we can’t process them. This shows up in so many different negative ways, but actually impacts our business success. My guest today is on a mission to get millions of people feeling again and we’ll talk about the impact to your team’s success, your company’s ability to innovate and your capacity to operate at peak potential. Today, Sherianna Boyle and I discuss what an emotional detox is and why leaders and teams need it, how emotions can support, not detract from, your business success, and why emotions are not getting you off track – it’s your reactions to them.

Key Takeaways:

• In an emotional detox, you are releasing reactions so that you can actually feel your emotions.
• Listening allows people to process. As leaders, we need to hear in a space of non-reactivity.  
• Don’t make decisions off of reactivity. Make decisions from a place of intention rather than reaction. 

“If you really want to know the talent, strength, and possibilities in the people around you, and you want them to be able to tap into it themselves, then emotions are a huge part of the equation.” —  Sherianna Boyle

About Sherianna Boyle Emotional Detox Coach, Speaker, Author:

Sherianna Boyle, International Emotional Detox Coach, speaker, trainer and author

Sherianna Boyle is an international, Emotional Detox Coach, author of nice books, including her most recent Emotional Detox NOW. She has a Masters in Education as well as a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in School Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Sherianna has been featured in over eighty-five articles, and a featured presenter for renowned organizations such as: PESI Behavioral and Mental Health Education, Kripalu Health & Yoga Center, 1440 Multiversity University, and more. Her book, The Four Gifts of Anxiety, was endorsed by the National Association of Mental Health. She is an adjunct Psychology Professor and founder of Emotional Detox Coaching servicing clients (of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities) virtually worldwide. She is the co-founder of CLEANSElife.com, which features her CLEANSE Yoga virtual video collection, Emotional Detox courses and Corporate Wellness. Sherianna is a featured expert on Simple Habit App, and host of Emotional Detox Radio Show on Healthylife.net. She is married to her hometown hubby, KB raising three daughters, living her best CLEANSElife!

Connect with Sherianna:

Website:  https://sheriannaboyle.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SheriannaBoyle

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

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherianna.boyle/?hl=en

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

When you don’t speak out, the world misses out on what could be your game-changing idea, inspiring perspective or important cautionary tale. Too often women and underrepresented people are too afraid to speak up, share their authentic opinions and experiences, and actually make their organizations more successful. That’s a tragedy. Today, I speak with leadership communication expert and author Hope Timberlake about what speaking out and authenticity really mean and what holds even the most extroverted among us back from expressing our ideas. We discuss how empathy is the key to getting over some of those fears, and framing your idea in an effective way that resonates with your audience. We even attempted to puzzle out why there are many good leaders out there, who are good at “getting the job done” but are horrible at communication! 

Key Takeaways:

• Having an inner critic is universal. Even the most empathetic people turn the intensity inward and get hypercritical. 
• We cannot be leaders in a vacuum, we work with others at all levels and the way we do that is by communicating. 
• You always bring your unique perspective to everything you do. Tell your story, in your voice, and it is going to resonate with someone somewhere. 

“It’s so important to divorce the outcome from the input. What you’re sharing, you’re sharing for the purpose of sharing and flexing that muscle, of sharing your voice, and sharing your ideas. Whatever happens is fine.” —  Hope Timberlake

About Hope Timberlake:

Hope Timberlake, Leadership Communication Expert and Author

Hope Timberlake is a speaker, trainer and author who focuses on the communication side of leadership. She is passionate about persuasive messaging, relationship building, executive presence, developing others, and elevating the voices of women and those underrepresented in leadership. Her book, Speak Up, Dammit! How to Quiet Your Fears, Polish Your Presence and Share Your Voice published in October 2021.

Hope works with executives and their teams across many industries at companies including AirBnB, Autodesk, Bank of America, BlackRock, Dropbox, Intel, PlayStation, Splunk and many scaling start-ups.

Hope earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and completed a Masters degree at University of California, Berkeley. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, teenaged children and dog Mona.

Connect with Hope:  

Website (for her book and Masterclass): http://www.HopeTimberlake.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hopetimber

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

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

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

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

At what age did we lose our sense of play?  What role does play have in boosting trust, collaboration, and creativity? A big role, it turns out.  My guest today, Ilana Ben-Ari, says research shows we gain tremendous amounts of communication, collaboration, and empathy skills in kindergarten, but they then drastically decline as the education system demands more metrics and less play from us. Science shows us that the act of play fosters innovation, collaboration, and empathy – AT ANY AGE. Today, we talk about her path from empathetic design to running a company dedicated to boosting empathy and collaboration in schools and organizations through her ground-breaking empathy toy. We also talk about the importance of play for adults, and how the empathy toy works, as well as her future vision to ensure that emotional intelligence skills are valued and celebrated just as much as STEM skills.

Key Takeaways:

• Design starts with empathy. You’re getting at the root of what someone’s day to day challenges are, and you look for opportunities where you can more positively impact their life and their experiences. 
• We are living through a time of unprecedented change. Whenever there is such rapid change, the only way to effectively and successfully navigate it is through interpersonal relationships; you cannot get through that rate of change by doing everything yourself.
• Whether we are a team of two or 200, at 6 or at C-Suite, the empathy toy acts as a metaphor for a real life scenario.

“We’ve lost this idea that learning should be fun and we can take risks. We should be thinking about emotions as part of our creative processes, and, outside of that, we should be talking about emotions and behaviors.” —  Ilana Ben-Ari

About Ilana Ben-Ari:

Ilana Ben-Ari, CEO, and Founder, Twenty One Toys

Ilana Ben-Ari is a toy designer turned social entrepreneur. She is the founder of Twenty One Toys and the inventor of the Failure Toy and Empathy Toy – the award-winning facilitation tools used in 1000s of boardrooms and classrooms in over 50 countries. Featured in Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 100 Female Founders of 2020, her inventions have been praised in TIME magazine as a technology that is reshaping the future of learning.

Connect with Ilana:  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ilanabenari

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

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

Connect with Twenty One Toys

Twitter: https://twitter.com/21toys

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/21toys

Play for free in a Global Play Session and join the community! https://twentyonetoys.com/pages/global-play-sessions-empathy-failure-toys

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

Nothing requires empathy more than going into a difficult conversation at work – asking for a raise, telling a coworker they are not pulling their weight, or even delivering a less-than-stellar performance evaluation to an employee. You know it’s not a conversation they want to have and you steel yourself for a fight. Today, my guest, Roberta Matuson and I talk about these exact conversations and coach you through them! Roberta also shares her best tips on how to navigate those conversations and step up, even when it’s a conversation you’d rather avoid. 

Key Takeaways:

• You need to be clear and clarify with people you are conversing with to make sure you’re both understanding the situation.
• Be specific. If you have specific, concise examples, it is hard to dispute whatever you are discussing.
• Nothing should ever be a surprise in a performance evaluation.

“I have found that, all too often, the need to be right all the time really prevents us from hearing one another.” —  Roberta Matuson

About Roberta Matuson, The Talent Maximizer:

LinkedIn Top Voice in Workplace and Leadership

For more than 25 years, Roberta Matuson, president of Matuson Consulting, has helped leaders in highly regarded companies, including General Motors, New Balance, and Microsoft, and small to medium-size businesses, achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent.

She’s the author of six books including, Evergreen Talent: How to Seed, Cultivate, and Grow a Sustainable Workforce, and the international bestseller, Suddenly In Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around, a Washington Post Top 5 Business Book For Leaders. Her newest book, Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work will be released in September of 2021.

Roberta is one of a handful of people who have appeared as a guest of Bill O’Reilly’s on Fox’s O’Reilly Factor, and who left the show unscathed.

Connect with Roberta:  

Website: https://matusonconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-matuson/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/matuson

Her book: Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

Have you ever thought about a story as a persuasive argument or as making a case? Because that is what a good story does – it moves us to think or act in a new way. There is a structure to every good story that inspires, ignites, and moves people to action, whether that action is to make a change, donate money, or invest in your product or service. Today, I talk with my guest, Tamsen Webster about her red thread strategy for great storytelling. We talk about why good storytelling is required if you want to move people to action, how empathy plays a big role, and what we do to unintentionally sabotage an effective story, especially in sales and marketing. We also discuss how finding the red thread of your business makes you not just a persuasive leader, but a better more empathetic leader who can motivate employees and customers. If you are a marketer, if you are a persuader, a sales person, or someone who just wants to make more headway with your own children listening to you, today’s episode is for you. 

Key Takeaways:

• Your story is what differentiates you from other companies. It allows you to stand out from organizations and people who do the same thing you do.
• We’re not rational decision makers. We are rationalizing decision makers. 
• One of the most powerful drives that we have, as humans, is to be seen as smart, capable and good. You have to look at the people that you’re talking to with unconditional positive regard.

“One of the greatest gifts you can give to your prospects and clients is to give them a rock solid argument that they can give to somebody else.” —  Tamsen Webster

About Tamsen Webster:

Tamsen Webster, Founder and Chief Message Strategist

Part strategist, part storyteller, part English-to-English translator, Tamsen Webster helps experts drive action with their ideas. Tamsen honed her trademark Red Thread approach in and for major organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Harvard Medical School, and Intel, as well as with hundreds of individual founders, academics, and thought leaders. She’s a former TEDx Executive Producer and current Idea Strategist. She’s also the author of Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible.

Connect with Tamsen:  

Website: https://tamsenwebster.com/

Her book:  Find Your Red Thread: https://tamsenwebster.com/book/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tamadear

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

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamsenwebster/?hl=e

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

Being an effective leader requires you to be able to truly see yourself as you are – to know who you want to be, where you’re strong, and where you might fall down – and that requires hard inner work! In today’s episode, I had the great pleasure to talk to leadership, branding, and transformation expert, speaker and multiple award-winning author Minter Dial. We talk about the importance of empathy in being a leader, why everyone on your team is technically an individual contributor, what living through 9/11 in Manhattan taught him about perspective and knowing if you truly align with your organization or not. Listen in for a fantastic conversation!

Key Takeaways:

• As a professional, fundamentally, you lead two things: 1) yourself and 2) your whole self.
• Ultimately, empathy has an ability to help in absolutely everything you do.  
• Intangibles do matter. You may not be in the right place if your values and your authentic self don’t align with where you’re working and that’s okay. You are being strong as a leader if you know yourself well enough to walk away from those kinds of environments or companies.

“We’re not all cut out to be leaders. If you don’t have patience to listen, if you

are not interested in working with teams, or it’s all about you – you have to learn how to step aside.” —  Minter Dial

About Minter Dial:

Leadership and brand speaker and author of You Lead: How Being Yourself Makes you a Better Leader

Minter Dial is an international professional and energetic speaker and a multiple award-winning author, specialised in leadership, branding and transformation. An agent of change, he’s a three-time entrepreneur who has exercised twelve different careers and changed countries xfifteen times. Minter’s core career stint of 16 years was spent as a top executive at L’Oréal, where he was a member of the worldwide Executive Committee for the Professional Products Division. He’s author of the award-winning WWII story, The Last Ring Home (documentary film and biographical book, 2016) as well as two prize-winning business books, Futureproof (2017) and Heartificial Empathy (2019). His latest book on leadership, You Lead, How being yourself makes you a better leader (Kogan Page) released in January 2021. He’s been host of the Minter Dialogue weekly podcast since 2010. He is passionate about the Grateful Dead, Padel Tennis, languages and generating meaningful conversations.

Connect with Minter:  

Website: http://minterdial.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mdial

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/minterdial

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

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mdial

Promoting: http://minterdial.com/books/you-lead

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

We like to tell ourselves that we make purely logical purchase decisions, but we’re human and we do not. Regardless of the type of business you are in, humans have emotional reactions to every single decision they make, whether they know it or not. Today, brand strategist, Kevin Perlmutter, and I discuss the brain’s limbic system, why marketers should care about it, and how to uncover your customers’ emotional motivation so you can create more compelling messaging and solutions. We also talk about good questions to ask (and which ones not to) and why you need to spend the time and money to diagnose and discover before you simply execute if you want to win, all without emotionally manipulating your clients. 

Key Takeaways:

• The biggest question you need to answer is “why should people care about my brand?”
• Being emotionally connected is well beyond being highly satisfied. Highly satisfied is not a high enough bar, customers need to be emotionally connected. 
• Uncover the reasons why customers are happy – even the ones that you might not be aware of exactly, that’s where the gems are.

“Limbic sparks happen when emotional motivation meets brand desire. ” —  Kevin Perlmutter

About Kevin Perlmutter: Kevin Perlmutter is brand and customer relationship strategist – Chief Strategist & Founder of Limbic Brand Evolution. Limbic is a brand consultancy specializing in emotion, helping business and brand leaders create stronger connections with customers by turning emotional insights into a competitive advantage. Kevin helps brand leaders answer the question: “Why should people care about your brand?”. He applies behavioral science insights and approaches to understand what makes people tick, enabling him to help businesses focus brand strategy, strengthen customer relationships, evolve business plans, offerings, messaging and customer experience. By focusing on emotion and motivation, Kevin’s work efficiently and effectively increases brand engagement and customer loyalty.

Connect with Kevin:  

Limbic Sparks® – When Emotional Motivation Meets Brand Desire: https://www.limbicbrandevolution.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinperlmutter%20

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinperlmutter/%20

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.perlmutter%20

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

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

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Twitter: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice