Leading with Empathy with Maria Ross

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Maria Ross, a speaker, facilitator, author, and empathy advocate, about the power of empathy in the workplace (and life).

Maria Ross believes cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive. She is the founder of Red Slice and advises organizations on how to leverage empathy to engage and connect. Maria has authored multiple books and hosts The Empathy Edge  podcast. Maria’s most recent book is The Empathy Dilemma: How Successful Leaders Balance Performance, People, and Personal Boundaries. A dynamic speaker, Maria has delighted audiences at leading conferences and organizations such as TEDx, The 3% Conference, The New York Times Small Business Summit, and Salesforce, and her insights have appeared in many media outlets, including MSNBC, NPR, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Newsweek, Huffington Post, and Thrive Global.

During the conversation, Jessica and Maria discussed how to work with leaders who lack self-awareness, especially when partnering with them to create change. Says Maria, “You can’t change anyone else, but what you can do is show up in the interaction. You can show up in the conversation with your empathy. It’s not your job to make others empathetic, but you can show up by asking questions, staying emotionally regulated, and sharing common ground.”

Highlights from the conversation include:

☑️ How leading through empathy can help manage resistance to change

☑️ Practical tips for showing up more empathetically in conversations with team members and colleagues

☑️ A deep dive into Maria’s five pillars of effective but empathetic leadership: self-awareness, self-care, clarity, decisiveness, and joy

If you want to learn more about empathy, leadership, and change, be sure to tune in and hear what Maria has to say!