Archives: Podcast Episodes

In this episode, Maria and Steve discuss:

• Technology for a purpose, not just for technology’s sake.
• Why data tells a story and this requires empathy
• Excellent models of leadership with bottom-line success through empathy.
• Habits and tips to maintain an empathetic mindset.

Key Takeaways:

• Data is more than being cold, hard, and analytical. What you’re really trying to do is get this data to tell a story and get it to provide a perspective. The stories and the insights that you get out of it are really where the magic happens.
• Being able to start from common ground and build back up is where you’re able to really pull that empathy out
• It exponentially helps you be more successful when you are empathetic and compassionate and get to know people on a real level, and then you can be as ambitious and competitive as you want to be as a result.

“We need to just say ‘hi’ and get to know people and for them to feel like you’re a real person as well as their leader…the empathy, that connection, leads to some of the greatest outcomes.” —  Steve Hartman

About Steve Hartman: Steve Hartman is an investor and advisor, and a seasoned executive with a unique mix of extensive experience across eCommerce, marketing, analytics, and technology.  He is an inspirational leader with a long track record of success in building and inspiring strong global teams and cultures, driving transformational organizational change, and delivering outstanding business results.

Steve has a broad range of industry experience across omni-channel retail, technology, storage, and financial services.  Most recently he was the President and Chief Growth Officer of Windsor Fashions, a women’s specialty retailer with over 190 stores in the US.  Formerly, he was CMO & SVP Ecommerce at Eddie Bauer, Managing Director of Ecommerce and Marketing at Urban Outfitters, SVP of Marketing at CubeSmart, and the Senior Director of eBay Partner Network.  He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and dual MBAs from Columbia University and Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Connect with Steve:

Steve’s LinkedIn: Steve Hartman

Steve’s Instagram: @shartman32

Keep It Local Seattle: KeepItLocalSeattle.org

Keep It Local Seattle on Instagram: @keepitlocalseattle

Connect with Maria:

Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com

Buy The Empathy Edge on Amazon! www.bit.ly/empathyedge

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

In this episode, Maria discusses:

• What empathy is and how it can be leveraged by brands, leaders, and teams. 
• The soft skills that allow us to create bottom-line benefits for organizations. 
• Connecting with your clients and motivating your team through empathy.

Key Takeaways:

• Empathy takes two forms – affective empathy and cognitive empathy. It is a method of perspective – of gathering information and then using that information to inform a decision or an action.
• If you’ve cultivated your own confidence and are secure enough in your own skills and ability, you are much more likely to be empathetic because you have room in your head to take on another person’s perspective.
• Practice curiosity – Get curious about the other person or the other people. Why do they see things that way? Why do they think that’s the best method for success? What are their goals? What’s their intention?

“Empathy means being willing and able to see understand and, where appropriate, but not always, feel another person’s perspective and, further, to use that information to act compassionately.” —  Maria Ross

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

Welcome to The Empathy Edge podcast. On today’s show, host Maria Ross walks you through what this podcast is all about, why leaders, marketers, and changemakers should tune in each week and what you can gain from each episode. She’ll also give you a sneak peek into why she even wrote a business book about empathy – and how her research was a refreshing surprise about how leaders and brands are succeeding with empathy.