Watch this episode to learn why optimism can be a powerful positive force in our lives.

Bill Burke is the Founder of The Optimism Institute, a media enterprise on a mission to inspire people with an optimistic, hopeful vision of the world and its future. After a career spent in media and broadcasting, he advocates for staying optimistic in the face of negative news every day. In this episode, Bill argues that optimism can improve the quality of our lives and help solve social problems, much like empathy. He also shares his goals and vision for The Optimism Institute.

00:00 Preview

00:29 Introduction

00:50 About Bill Burke

02:27 The importance of remaining optimistic

04:14 The power of optimism

05:17 What is The Optimism Institute?

07:49 How to promote agency among Gen-Z

10:07 Can we cultivate optimism?

12:20 Can optimism transcend society’s problems?

14:33 At the intersection of empathy and optimism

16:54 The benefits of practising optimism and empathy

19:39 Optimism’s role in our daily lives

21:30 About Bill’s podcast, Blue Sky

24:09 Bill’s goals for spreading optimism

26:15 Bill Burke’s Purposeful Empathy Story

CONNECT WITH BILL BURKE

✩ Website: https://www.theoptimisminstitute.com/

✩ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D7JK1FdOVqkovzFJbO6Z5

✩ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optimisminstitute/

✩ Twitter: https://twitter.com/OptInstitute

✩ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-burke-9775682/

✩ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimismInst

✩ Call Me Ted: https://www.amazon.ca/Call-Me-Ted-Turner/dp/0446582034

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David Tsvariani

Watch this episode to savour a story of how a dog unlocked empathy in a woman’s life - at the age of 65.

Watch this episode to learn about the neuroscience behind empathy, compassion, and sympathy.

Watch this episode to learn empathy-infused design.

Watch this episode to learn why storytelling is such a powerful way to develop empathy.

Dr. Maria Keckler is the Director of International Affairs Strategy & Communications at San Diego State University. Her research is at the intersection of story, neuroscience, psychology, and education, and aims to improve empathy, leadership, human connection, and our collective ability to tackle complex challenges. In this episode, she shares her personal empathy awakening, discusses how bridge-building can guide empathy research, and the importance of flexing our empathy muscles across every facet of our lives.

00:00 Introduction

00:21 About Dr. Maria Keckler

02:42 Maria’s empathy awakening

08:16 Bridge-Building as a guiding framework in Maria’s research

13:32 How can storytelling help us become better communicators?

16:59 The power of narrative medicine

18:40 How systems aren’t designed to be empathetic

19:22 A dive into complexity theory

21:52 Common misconceptions about empathy 

25:11 How Maria’s empathy research has impacted her personal life

31:31 Dr. Maria Keckler’s Purposeful Empathy Story

CONNECT WITH MARIA KECKLER

✩ Twitter: http://twitter.com/mariakeckler 

✩ Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/mariakeckler 

✩ Instagram: http://instagram.com/mariakeckler 

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David Tsvariani

Watch this episode to learn how storytelling through AI can deepen workplace trust, belonging and empathy.

Noah Godfrey is the Founder of The Real Human Project, a private podcast for teams to share personal stories and connect on a deeper level. In this episode, Noah describes why participants appreciate being interviewed by an AI chatbot. He also discusses how his work has improved his empathy skills, and the goal he has to help us overcome society’s empathy deficit.

00:00 Preview

00:32 Introduction

00:50 About Noah Godfrey

01:23 What is The Real Human Project?

06:35 The paradox of using AI Chatbots for empathy-building

10:30 How The Real Human Project strengthens relationships

12:42 Testimonials and outcomes from The Real Human Project

14:45 How has The Real Human Project evolved?

16:33 Applications of The Project with different groups of people

17:55 How this work has helped Noah elevate his empathy skills

19:34 Exploring user responses to interview questions

23:04 Noah’s business philosophy for The Real Human Project

27:50 Noah Godfrey’s Purposeful Empathy Story

CONNECT WITH NOAH GODFREY

✩ Website: https://realhuman.io/ 

✩ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahgodfrey/

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David TsvarianI

Watch this episode to learn why bringing feelings into the workplace can improve organizational culture.

Renée Eaton is the Founder of Work + Joy and believes all workplaces should be filled with passion and excitement. In this episode, she discusses the importance of welcoming and prioritizing emotions at work, how organizations can promote emotional literacy, and describes how to foster a positive emotional culture.

00:00 Preview

00:33 Introduction

00:53 About Renée Eaton

01:53 What is the ‘F word’ at work?

02:45 Why we're afraid to talk about feelings at work

04:27 How to promote emotional literacy among leaders

07:22 Treating emotions as data

09:01 Why should we care about emotions at work?

11:21 What is an "emotional culture?"

17:22 How to manage tensions between employee's needs and employer's expectations

19:53 What is an emotional culture deck?

21:32 How emotional cultures foster empathy

25:15 The importance of recognizing our own feelings

27:15 How can organizations improve their emotional cultures?

29:30 Renée Eaton’s Purposeful Empathy story

CONNECT WITH RENÉE EATON

✩ Website: https://workplusjoy.com/ 

✩ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeeaton/ 

✩ Company Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workplusjoy/

✩ Emotional Culture Deck: https://www.ridersandelephants.com/the-emotional-culture-deck 

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David Tsvariani

Watch this episode to learn about the simple - but powerful - benefits of touch.

Dr. Michael Banissy is a social neuroscientist at the University of Bristol who studies affection, communication, sleep, empathy, and touch. He is also the author of Touch Matters: Handshakes, Hugs, and the New Science on How Touch Can Enhance Your Well-being. In this episode, he explains how humans experience empathy, connection and belonging through touch and offers his thoughts about whether or not robots can offer similar touch benefits.

00:00 Preview

00:32  Introduction

00:50 About Dr. Michael Banissy

02:27 Outcomes of The Touch Test (the world’s largest study of touch)

04:28 Michael’s personal experience as a touch scientist

06:25 The benefits of different kinds of touch

09:23 The importance of touch for children and babies

11:17 How social connection improves our well-being

14:05 How touch connects us to our environments

16:08 Can technology replicate physical touch?

21:26 How do we experience empathy?

25:50 The value of empathy in workplace collaboration

26:45 Techniques to flex our empathy muscles

31:37 Dr. Michael Banissy’s Purposeful Empathy Story

CONNECT WITH DR. MICHAEL BANISSY

✩ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-banissy/ 

✩ Twitter: @mbanissy

✩ Instagram: @mbanissy

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David Tsvariani

Watch this episode to learn how to close the empathy gap.

Jen Marr is Founder and CEO of Inspiring Comfort, a social good company founded on the belief that today’s isolated, socially disconnected and hurting world demands that we do a better job of caring for one another. In this episode, Jen shares how powerful life experiences - including her work with the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting - led her to empathy work. She also shares a daily ritual of reaching out to loved ones to offer the reciprocal warm glow of empathy. 

00:00 Introduction

00:21 About Jen Marr

01:32 Jen’s back story to empathy work

06:38 Jen’s experience working with survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

10:02 Why supportive care is so important

12:22 How to cross the empathy gap through the "Awkward Zone"

16:38 Strategies for showing up through the Awkward Zone

19:47 The science of human care

22:55 How Jen’s work has shaped her personal life 

28:46 Jen Marr’s Purposeful Empathy Story

CONNECT WITH JEN MARR

✩ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmarr/ 

✩ Website: https://www.inspiringcomfort.com/ 

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David Tsvariani

Watch this episode to learn how and why we should raise children who care about the common good. 

Dr. Richard Weissbourd is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard and Director of the Making Caring Common Project, a national effort that helps educators, parents, and communities raise children who are caring, respectful and responsible toward others and their communities. In this episode, Richard explains why we should raise the next generation to be more altruistic, how we can model empathic behaviour in the home, and why having empathic expectations of our children is beneficial to them.

00:00 Introduction

00:21 About Dr. Richard Weissbourd

02:04 How to raise kind, caring, and empathic children 

04:38 Why parents should model empathic behaviour

05:15 Setting empathy expectations in the home

06:25 Why Richard is trying to make "caring common"

08:33 Richard’s perspective on empathy and justice

12:32 How schools and families can elevate empathy 

15:24 Turning the Tide: rewarding ethical care in college applications

18:56 Challenges in advancing equity in college admissions

20:11 Richard Weissbourd’s Purposeful Empathy Story

CONNECT WITH RICHARD WEISSBOURD

✩ The Children we Mean to Raise Report: https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/reports/children-mean-raise

✩ About Rick: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/faculty/richard-weissbourd

✩ The Making Caring Common Project: https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/ 

CONNECT WITH ANITA

✩ Email [email protected]  

✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com/  

✩ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak

✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram

✩ Twitter https://twitter.com/anitanowak21

✩ Facebook Page https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyFacebook

✩ Facebook Group https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyCommunity

✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast

Video edited by David Tsvariani