The Empathy Edge

By: Maria Ross
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  • 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. Speaker, author, strategist, and empathy advocate 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, cultures and brands to innovation, engagement, and 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 changemakers can use right now. Ready to infuse YOUR organization with more empathy? Tune in to learn why cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive.
    2020-2022 Maria Ross
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Economics Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales Relationships Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • Lauree Ostrofsky: Hey Rockstar Leader, Don't Forget About YOU

    Lauree Ostrofsky: Hey Rockstar Leader, Don't Forget About YOU
    May 6 2025
    Most high achievers never look back and see how far they've come. They tend to focus on perfection and not wanting to let anyone down. Because of their outward focus on others - colleagues, customers, or employees - They often don't know how to be empathetic and tender with themselves.Empathy starts with self-awareness and self-care so leaders who want to achieve their goals would be wise to practice tenderness and empathy for themselves first. This kind of self-reflection and tenderness for self will help them be an effective and inspiring leader for others.Today, author and leadership coach Lauree Ostrofsky joins us to talk about self-empathy and owning your leadership style. Lauree shares how challenging and yet worthwhile self-empathy can be. We discuss the downside of empathy and how to balance focusing on others with caring for yourself. She talks about how to develop our sense of self so we don’t fear reinvention, we can take better risks, and avoid unnecessary worry or anxiousness that doesn't serve us. To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Dig into your fears and discomforts. It may just be an opportunity that is outside your comfort zone and making you feel vulnerable. Fear is an opportunity. Make a list of compliments you receive as you receive them - we need the physical evidence of what we have accomplished and where we have been to see how we’ve gained the confidence we have now.Sometimes you have to give yourself space before you can give space to the other person to hear and empathize with what they’re saying and needing. Own who you are without apology. You can invite people in and invite them to also own who they are. "There's a way to value people and value yourself at the same time, and it really takes understanding of yourself." — Lauree OstrofskyFrom Our Partner:SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.About Lauree Ostrofsky, Founder, Simply LeapLauree Ostrofsky, PCC, CPC helps women leap: clarify what they want and feel more confident putting themselves out there. For more than two decades, she has been an author, coach, and hugger with a client roster that includes executives at IBM, Microsoft, Harvard, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and the Girl Scouts of the USA. Her books are, Simply Leap, a happy how-to about facing the fear of reinvention and enjoying the crap out of your life, and I'm Scared & Doing It Anyway, a memoir about her reinvention after a devastating brain tumor diagnosis at 28. Connect with Lauree Ostrofsky:Simply Leap, LLC: http://simplyleap.com LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/laureeostrofsky/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/SimplyLeap Instagram: http://instagram.com/lauree_ostrofsky/ Threads: http://threads.net/@lauree_ostrofsky Connect with Maria:Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/booksLearn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red SliceThreads: @redslicemariaWe would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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    44 mins
  • Shermin Kruse: Why Stoic Empathy is the Balance Leaders Need

    Shermin Kruse: Why Stoic Empathy is the Balance Leaders Need
    Apr 29 2025
    What can stoicism teach us about empathy in modern life? This centuries-old philosophy can be directly applied to what we face now in our workplaces and our world.Shermin Kruse is here to talk to us about her latest book, Stoic Empathy. She shares what stoic empathy means and how the fusion of these seemingly opposing forces is particularly relevant today. She shares her personal story and how her immigrant journey shaped her understanding of empathy and stoicism. Sher also talks about how she leveraged stoic empathy as a lawyer to great success. We discuss practical tools for building influence and emotional regulation that you can start using today with your employees, your partner, or your kids!Whether you’re a corporate leader, educator, parent, or simply seeking tools to navigate personal and professional challenges with integrity, you will love this conversation! To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Most of our relationships are long-term. Those are whom you owe a long-term duty to engage in and sustain that relationship.Our control in this world is not fixed - everything changes, everything evolves, and we need to be able to accept that we can’t change and control everything.Stoicism allows you to make informed and deliberate decisions rather than reactive decisions, especially in difficult situations.Create relationships where you feel safe and are willing to trust the other person, even if you may not understand or agree in the moment."Know that silence is not submission, pause is not acceptance, and that even understanding is not agreement." — Shermin KruseEpisode References: Robin Dreeke: Spycraft and the Leadership Code of TrustChris L. Johnson: When Leaders Pause, They WinRenee Metty: Why Mindfulness Makes You a Better LeaderLaura Vanderkam: https://lauravanderkam.com/ From Our Partner:SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.About Shermin Kruse: Corporate Advisor, Law Professor, and Author of Stoic EmpathyShermin Kruse is a globally recognized author, negotiation consultant, law professor, and TEDx producer specializing in stoic Empathy, leadership, and complex negotiation, leadership, and complex negotiation. Born in Tehran during political upheaval, she immigrated to Canada as a child, later earning degrees in philosophy and neuropsychology from the University of Toronto and a law degree from the University of Michigan.She is the author of Butterfly Stitching, a critically acclaimed novel, and Global Transactions and Regulation, a key resource for law and business professionals. Her latest book, Stoic Empathy, blends cognitive empathy with stoic principles to offer a transformative framework for leadership, influence, and resilience.Shermin continues to champion empathy, resilience, and ethical leadership through her work in academia, business, and the non-profit sector.Connect with Shermin ("Sher") Kruse:Website: sherminkruse.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shermin-kruseFacebook: facebook.com/sher.kruseInstagram: instagram.com/sher_kruseBook: Stoic Empathy. Also on her website. Connect with Maria:Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/booksLearn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red SliceThreads: @redslicemariaWe would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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    50 mins
  • Moe Carrick: Redefining Leadership Beyond Gender B.S.

    Moe Carrick: Redefining Leadership Beyond Gender B.S.
    Apr 22 2025
    Masculine traits. Feminine traits. Can we please stop gendering leadership skills and focus instead on the human traits that will enable us to thrive?Today, I speak with culture and leadership expert Moe Carrick about gender traits in leadership. We discuss the traditional leadership narratives and the negative impact that has on both men and women in the workplace. We talk about the crisis for men and boys right now and why men are falling behind in all sectors. Moe shares the difference between emotionality and emotional intelligence and how we can help debunk outdated myths of masculinity. And she shares some great stories from past clients and what they were able to achieve as a leadership team in tough times when they embraced emotional intelligence and vulnerability. We dissect the current backlash toward more "masculine” energy in the workplace, which will only hinder our innovation and success, and the role women leaders can play to encourage healthier, more emotionally grounded leadership. To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.comKey Takeaways:Gender has nothing to do with being a successful leader. While some traits may be considered more masculine or feminine in energy, skills are not gendered - they are all human traits.There is a difference between emotionality and emotional intelligence. Emotionality is unmetabolized emotional expression. Emotional intelligence is a source of data helping us navigate emotionality.Everyone needs to resist their own internal messaging about what good leadership looks like - it is not command and control or blaming and shaming. It is empathy and collaboration. "If we're going to encourage male vulnerability and male emotions in the same ways we experience and give women permission to express feelings, we need to be prepared to not jump into fixing and solving what they're struggling with." — Moe CarrickEpisode References:The Empathy Edge: Pam Fox Rollin: How to Grow Your Group Into a TeamThe Athena Doctrine By John Gerzema and Michael D'AntonioAtlas of the Heart by Brené BrownRichard Reeves: Institute for Men and BoysSuitsFrom Our Partner:SparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.About Moe Carrick, CEO and Culture and Leadership PioneerMoe Carrick is a pioneer in workplace culture and leadership, known for her award-winning frameworks that have helped companies like Nike, Reddit, and Amazon improve engagement, reduce burnout, and drive performance. A TEDx speaker and bestselling author, Moe’s work has transformed businesses across industries for over two decades. She specializes in creating environments where people thrive, rooted in her deep expertise in leadership, human connection, and innovative workplace practices.Connect with Moe:Moementum, Inc: moementum.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/moecarrickInstagram: instagram.com/moecarrickCulture Pulse Check: moementum.com/people-culture-pulse-checkWorkMatters Kit: moementum.kit.com/workmattersTedX: Rethinking Women's Role in Defining MasculinityTedX: Workplaces Fit for Humans Connect with Maria:Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/booksLearn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red SliceThreads: @redslicemariaWe would love to get your thoughts on the show! Please click https://bit.ly/edge-feedback to take this 5-minute survey, thanks!
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    55 mins

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