Podcast Summary: The Futur with Chris Do – Episode 337: "Empathy in Business: Nice or Necessary?" Featuring Maria Ross

Release Date: April 2, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 337 of The Futur Podcast, host Chris Do engages in a profound conversation with Maria Ross, a renowned speaker, author, workshop facilitator, and empathy advocate. The episode delves deep into the pivotal role of empathy in business, exploring its definitions, applications, challenges, and its indispensable value in fostering successful leadership and organizational cultures.

1. Maria Ross's Background and Mission

Maria Ross introduces herself as a multifaceted professional entrenched in the realms of marketing, brand consultancy, and empathy advocacy.

• [00:33] Maria Ross: “I am a speaker, an author, a workshop facilitator, and an empathy advocate. And I believe that leaders, cultures, and brands can achieve radical success through empathy.”

Her mission is clear: to cultivate a more empathetic world, starting within workplaces where individuals spend the majority of their time. She emphasizes the ripple effect empathy can have, extending from professional environments into personal lives and broader communities.

2. Defining Empathy in Business

Maria dives into the essence of empathy, drawing from her research and experiences, particularly highlighted in her book, The Empathy Edge.

• [02:15] Maria Ross: “Empathy is being able to see, understand, and where appropriate, feel another person's perspective and use that information to act with compassion.”

She distinguishes between empathy and compassion, noting that empathy without subsequent compassionate action is a "wasted emotion." Maria underscores the business case for empathy, presenting data that links empathetic practices to enhanced engagement, performance, innovation, customer loyalty, and revenue growth.

3. Cognitive vs. Emotional Empathy

A critical discussion unfolds around the two primary forms of empathy:

• Cognitive Empathy: Utilizing analytical skills to understand another's perspective.

• Emotional (Effective) Empathy: Feeling what another person is experiencing emotionally.

• [08:50] Maria Ross: “There are two kinds of empathy. Cognitive empathy where you're using your brain to try to imagine what it might be like... Effective empathy or emotional empathy is when you actually feel what the other person's feeling.”

Maria provides relatable examples, such as connecting emotionally with a missing pet to empathize with someone's distress, illustrating how both forms of empathy can lead to compassionate actions tailored to the situation.

4. Challenges of Empathy in Creative Industries

Chris Do brings attention to a paradox within creative circles: despite their reliance on empathy for storytelling and character creation, many creatives may exhibit low empathetic tendencies.

• [07:20] Maria Ross: “For some people, access to empathy comes through the cognitive side. They're very analytical, they're not very emotional, and that's okay.”

Maria posits that factors like ego and insecurity can impede empathy in creatives. She observes that ego leads to closed-mindedness, preventing the acceptance of diverse perspectives, while insecurity fosters defensiveness, obstructing genuine empathetic engagement.

5. Misuse and Misconceptions of Empathy

The conversation shifts to the misuse of the term "empath," where individuals may label themselves as such to justify negative behaviors or emotional outbursts.

• [15:29] Maria Ross: “I have a term in the book Weaponizing Empathy, of using empathy as an excuse to inflict pain...”

Chris Do shares anecdotes about clients who misuse empathy to vent frustrations under the guise of being empathetic, highlighting the importance of distinguishing genuine empathy from manipulative expressions.

6. Empathy Hijacking

Maria introduces the concept of "empathy hijacking," where well-intentioned individuals inadvertently shift the focus from the person in need to themselves.

• [29:07] Maria Ross: “...you tell me a story about a horrible car accident you were in... And I say, oh my gosh, Chris, I know exactly how you feel because three years ago I was in a car accident.”

She emphasizes that true empathy requires centering the conversation on the individual's experiences and emotions, rather than diverting the dialogue to one's own story.

7. Strategies for Effective Empathy

To foster genuine empathy, Maria advocates for:

• Curiosity: Asking open-ended questions to understand the other person's perspective.

• Active Listening: Fully engaging with the speaker without immediately offering solutions.

• The Platinum Rule: “Do unto others as they would have done unto them,” ensuring actions are tailored to the individual's needs rather than one's own assumptions.

• [37:10] Maria Ross: “Curiosity is the number one trait of empathic people, because they don't guess what your point of view is. They ask you.”

These strategies are presented as actionable steps to build deeper, more authentic connections in professional settings.

8. Empathy in Leadership and Team Management

Maria discusses the delicate balance leaders must maintain between empathy and performance.

• [33:09] Maria Ross: “I see, I want to acknowledge first, I see that you're really upset and this is important to you. So it's important to me. How can I best serve you?”

She outlines practical approaches for leaders to support their teams, such as offering choices between being heard, having problems solved collaboratively, or providing resources, thereby respecting individual preferences and fostering a supportive environment.

9. Empathy and Pricing Strategies

A fascinating tangent explores how empathy influences pricing models within creative businesses.

• [41:00] Chris Do: “...fixed pricing or hourly pricing, it's the least empathetic thing that you can do.”

Maria elaborates on her approach of pricing based on the client's needs and the impact of the work, rather than adhering strictly to fixed or hourly rates. This model aims to align pricing with the value delivered, acknowledging the diverse capacities and circumstances of different clients.

• [42:29] Maria Ross: “My projects start at X, so at least someone has a point of reference to say I shouldn't even bother wasting an hour of Chris's time on a discovery call if I can't even hit that minimum.”

This empathetic pricing strategy ensures transparency and minimizes time spent on engagements that may not be mutually beneficial.

10. Personal Experiences: Maria’s Brain Aneurysm

Maria shares her profound personal journey of surviving a ruptured brain aneurysm, which significantly impacted her emotional regulation and empathy.

• [60:58] Maria Ross: “...I am much more emotional, I'm more quick. If you talk about fight or flight, I more fight than I used to be.”

She candidly discusses the changes in her emotional landscape, her heightened emotions, and the adjustments she has made in her professional and personal life post-recovery. This revelation adds depth to her advocacy for empathy, highlighting resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a compelling endorsement of Maria Ross's work and her new book, The Empathy Dilemma. Maria emphasizes the book's relevance for leaders navigating the evolving workplace dynamics post-pandemic, advocating for the integration of empathy to enhance organizational performance without compromising personal well-being.

• [53:38] Maria Ross: “...if you don't understand what empathy is... or you are struggling with the demands of your people versus the demands of the business...”

Listeners are encouraged to visit theempathydilema.com to explore more about Maria's work, download a free chapter of her book, and join her community for ongoing insights and support.

Key Takeaways

• Empathy is Vital: Beyond being a "nice" trait, empathy is essential for business success, influencing engagement, performance, and customer loyalty.

• Different Forms of Empathy: Understanding the distinction between cognitive and emotional empathy allows for more effective and appropriate responses in various situations.

• Avoiding Empathy Misuse: Genuine empathy centers on the other person's experience without veering into self-centric narratives or justifications for personal emotions.

• Empathy in Leadership: Leaders must balance empathy with performance, employing strategies like active listening and the platinum rule to support their teams effectively.

• Personal Resilience: Personal challenges, such as Maria’s experience with a brain aneurysm, underscore the transformative power of empathy and adaptability.

Notable Quotes

• [00:33] Maria Ross: “I believe that leaders, cultures, and brands can achieve radical success through empathy.”

• [02:15] Maria Ross: “Empathy is being able to see, understand, and where appropriate, feel another person's perspective and use that information to act with compassion.”

• [08:50] Maria Ross: “You can still determine what that compassionate action is through cognitive empathy.”

• [15:29] Maria Ross: “Weaponizing Empathy, of using empathy as an excuse to inflict pain...”

• [37:10] Maria Ross: “Curiosity is the number one trait of empathic people, because they don't guess what your point of view is. They ask you.”

• [41:00] Maria Ross: “I love teaching. I love being on stage and seeing people... Their eyes light up. That moment of like, oh, I see something in a new way that I never saw before.”

Further Information

To delve deeper into Maria Ross's insights and strategies on empathy in business, listeners are invited to:

• Visit theempathydilema.com for more resources and to download a free chapter of her book.

• Connect with her on Instagram (@ed_slicemaria) and LinkedIn by searching for Maria J. Ross.

Closing Remarks

Chris Do wraps up the episode by reinforcing the significance of empathy in fostering meaningful connections and effective leadership. He underscores the transformative potential of adopting empathetic practices, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own approaches and embrace empathy as a cornerstone of their professional and personal endeavors.

This detailed summary captures the essence of Episode 337, highlighting the critical discussions between Chris Do and Maria Ross on empathy's role in business. Whether you're a leader seeking to enhance your team's performance or an individual aiming to cultivate deeper connections, this episode offers valuable insights and practical strategies to integrate empathy effectively.