Years ago, I was introduced to a former Marine and FBI counterintelligence officer whose job was to recruit spies to help protect our country. His secret weapon? Empathy. Finding out what is important to someone so that they can then build trust and find shared goals.

Robin Dreek joins us again today to talk about his latest book, Unbreakable Alliances: A Spy Recruiter's Authoritative Guide to Cultivating Powerful and Lasting Connections. He shares the four keys to communication and the difference between inspiration, influence, and manipulation. He shares the behaviors of trust required to inspire people to feel safe. We talk about how to engage empathy to inspire people to open up, share their context, and forge those unbreakable alliances. Finally, Robin shares a great definition of active curiosity and what it can do for both your relationships and success.

To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com

Key Takeaways:

• Every little word and emotion matters.
• You have to balance the dichotomy of vulnerability and confidence.
• Four keys of communication: seeking the thoughts and opinions of others; talking in terms of challenges and priorities that other people are dealing with; non-judgmental active curiosity; and empowering people with choice.
• We need to be asking better questions - focus on what they want to share, not what you want to ask.

"Active curiosity is taking it to the next level - don’t just be curious about what it is you want to know, but be curious about what it is they want to share." —  Robin Dreeke

Episode References: 

• The Empathy Edge podcast: Robin Dreeke: Spycraft and the Leadership Code of Trust

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 Robin Dreeke, Executive Coach, Speaker, Former FBI, and Author, Unbreakable Alliances

Robin Dreeke is an accomplished Executive Coach, Best-Selling Author, and Professional Speaker with an impressive background. As a Marine Corps Officer and retired FBI Special Agent, he served as Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, where he honed his skills in Recruiting Spies and Behavioral Assessment. Today, Robin has translated his expertise into his unique Interpersonal Communication Strategies that focus on Recruiting Allies in business. Since 2010, he has been working with Executives, Corporations, Entrepreneurs, the Military, and Law Enforcement to help them Forge Trust, Solve Challenges, and Lead. Robin's People Formula has helped countless individuals and teams achieve quick, measurable results and maximum success. Whether you're a newly promoted leader, executive, sales team member, or customer relations specialist, Robin's proven strategies will help you excel.

Connect with Robin:

Website: robindreeke.com

X: x.com/rdreeke

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rdreeke

Facebook: facebook.com/ForgedbyTrust

Instagram: instagram.com/rdreeke

Book: Unbreakable Alliances: A Spy Recruiter's Authoritative Guide to Cultivating Powerful and Lasting Connections

Connect with Maria:

Get Maria's books on empathy: Red-Slice.com/books

Learn more about Maria's work: Red-Slice.com

Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross

Take the LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

Facebook: Red Slice

Threads: @redslicemaria

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