Join this deep conversation about what empathy really looks like in our institutions, our communities, and our leadership—especially at a time when empathy feels both urgent and under pressure.

Dr. Terri Givens has been doing this work long before it became a headline or a corporate initiative. Terri is a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, and from 2021 to 2024, she served as the Provost’s Advisor on the Strategy to Address Anti-Black Racism at McGill University. She is the former CEO of the Center for Higher Education Leadership and has partnered with colleges, universities, and ed-tech companies to drive innovation, equity, and excellence in higher education.

Terri is the author of the new book, Reckoning: Creating Positive Change through Radical Empathy, as well as her past book, Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides. Her new book takes her work even further into how individuals and institutions can confront history and move toward meaningful change.

Terri shares stories of early work at IBM, Intel, and L’Oréal Canada that both strengthened culture and moved the bottom line. She also speaks about her collaboration with the Menlo Park Police Department, where empathy became a practical tool for healing divides, improving communication, and synthesizing multiple perspectives across the city council, police, and the community. Terri shows us that empathy isn’t a buzzword, a trend, or a “nice to have” in today’s polarized world—it’s a leadership competency, a community-building tool, and a catalyst for true connection and accountability.

To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com, search by episode title.

Listen in for…

• Where we actually are today in our quest for empathetic leadership and more human social systems, what’s shifted since her first book, and what still needs to be done.
• The essential role empathy plays in DEIB and race relations, and why DEI is not some new concept from 2020. 
• Real tactical guidance for how to create brave and safe spaces in your team or community.

"Creating a brave and safe space was really important so that we weren't just attacking what the police were doing. It had to be an environment where we were trying to uplift rather than tear down." —  Terri Givens

Episode References: 

• The Empathy Edge Podcast: Terri Givens: Radical Empathy to Bridge Racial Divides

About Terri Givens, Professor and Author of Reckoning and Radical Empathy:

Terri Givens is a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She was the Provost’s Advisor on the Strategy to Address Anti-Black Racism at McGill University from 2021 to 2024. She is formerly the CEO of the Center for Higher Education Leadership and has worked with a variety of colleges, universities, and ed tech companies on issues related to innovation and excellence in higher education. As the author of the new book Reckoning and the past book Radical Empathy, she is a sought-after consultant and speaker on issues related to leadership and inclusion. She has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, politics, international affairs, and nonprofits. She is an accomplished speaker and uses her platform to develop leaders with an understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion, while encouraging personal growth through empathy.

Connect with Terri:

Givens Consulting: terrigivens.com 

Book: Reckoning: terrigivens.com/reckoning 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/terrigivens 

Facebook: facebook.com/Terri.Givens64 

Instagram: @tgivens64

Connect with Maria:

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

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

Take the LinkedIn Learning Courses! Leading with Empathy and Balancing Empathy, Accountability, and Results as a Leader 

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

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