In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Chris Schembra, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Gratitude Through Hard Times and Gratitude in Pasta, about how human connection is the future of rainmaking. Chris, known as the “gratitude guru” by USA Today, shares his expertise on fostering meaningful relationships by connecting deeply with ourselves, our teams, and our clients. He explains that only 22% of global B2B relationships report being engaged, and only 13% are fully engaged, highlighting the significant opportunity for professionals to use human connection to drive revenue and retention.

Key topics include the importance of presence and authenticity in building trust, the impact of employee engagement on customer engagement, and strategies for fostering deeper connections through inquisitive empathy. Chris introduces his “Empathy Express” framework, which leverages three core techniques: mirroring, labeling emotions, and asking insightful "what" or "how" questions to create psychological safety and trust. He also discusses how gratitude plays a crucial role in relationship-building, encouraging professionals to personalize appreciation based on clients' preferred "language of gratitude." This episode provides actionable insights for rainmakers looking to build stronger, more authentic relationships that translate into long-term business success.

Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/

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Chris Schembra is a values driven, heart led author and keynote speaker on a mission to cure the epidemic of loneliness and the crisis of disconnection in the modern workplace. Drawing on hard-hitting statistics, he shines a light on the wide-ranging impact this problem has on employee wellbeing, engagement, and the overall success of organizations.

Through his experience helping spark over 500,000 co-worker relationships in the workplace, Schembra has come to understand that the macro level widespread disconnection is a symptom of a lack of deep human connection. It's this very void that amplifies burnout, exacerbates mental health challenges, and cripples employee engagement in today's organizations.

Through his 8 years of work building team building and client engagement programs, he’s observed that leaders and their teams may interact on a superficial level but are not genuinely connected to themselves, their co-workers, their customers, or their larger communities. Schembra teaches how to make a shift towards authenticity and deeper human relationships as a means to combat this issue and achieve outsized business results.

To tackle disconnection, Schembra presents a 3-step method for connection. This approach involves bringing employees into the present moment to acknowledge their humanity, diving into the past, while teaching them to express and receive authentic gratitude. He then guides them to approach the future with curiosity, questions, empathy, and inquisitiveness. This proven method, outlined in his Gratitude Experiences, transforms the method that employees interact and perceive their work.

By solving the disconnection issue, Schembra shows that the benefits are profound. It's not just about personal growth; it also results in a heightened level of engagement and productivity in the workplace. He provides compelling research and statistics, such as the significant return on investment (ROI) in emotional well-being and the role of gratitude in boosting commitment and effort among employees.

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This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:

https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/

Links:

www.chrisschembra.com

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h-G0Jwd0zM77155Enm5lOwTptu4bHWjJQOtMLIXWlt4/edit?usp=sharing

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