Applied Empathy

Discovering the Tools to Remove Obstacles, Solve Problems, and Gain Perspective

By: Michael Ventura

Narrated by: Michael Ventura

Michael Ventura, entrepreneur and CEO of award-winning strategy and design firm Sub Rosa, shares “how to unlock our ability to design solutions, spark innovation, and solve tough challenges with empathy at the center” (Arianna Huffington).

Having built his career working with iconic brands and institutions such as General Electric, Google, Nike, Warby Parker, and also The United Nations and the Obama Administration, Michael Ventura offers entrepreneurs and executives a radical new business book and way forward.

Empathy is not about being nice. It’s not about pity or sympathy either. It’s about understanding—your consumers, your colleagues, and yourself—and it’s a direct path to powerful leadership. As such, Applied Empathy presents real strategies, based on Sub Rosa’s design work and the popular class Ventura and his team have taught at Princeton University, on how to make lasting connections and evolve your business internally (your employees, culture, and product/services) as well as externally (your brand, consumers, and value). “The most neglected fact in business is we’re all human. Michael Ventura makes a powerful argument that empathy is the secret sauce of 21st century business. The more digital we get, the more empathy we need” (Chip Conley, New York Times bestselling author of Emotional Equation).

For leaders of all levels, this groundbreaking guide lays the foundation to establish a diverse, inventive, and driven team that can meet the challenges of today’s ever-evolving marketplace. If you want to connect to the people you work with, you have to understand them first.

Loved this Book

I really appreciated the real world examples provided along with spiritual touches that were peppered in. As I listened, I felt very much in step with the author as I straddle day to day leadership along with my interests in the metaphysical. Great book, I would highly recommend it!

Brilliant take on the power of empathy

Michael has had a brilliant career so far. He has compiled his experiences with top tier clients, his own personal trials, and a truly wise view of the human condition into a properly modern manual on leadership in the world today. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to lead from the heart!

A Fantastic Must Read!

Excellently written with great examples of how empathy can/should be applied to both work and personal life.

Exceptional. Illuminating. Broadly actionable.

Will reveal fundamental business expansion opportunities with a holistic, open-minded approach towards broad growth into previously unimagined directions.

Apply the tools (and unrealized gems) in your backyard - your company’s genesis/history, and new perspectives/positioning of your existing products/services. Will unite and invigorate your culture, top, and bottom lines.

Largest scale case studies, GE to Nike, showing how the lens of empathy reveals core aspects of being human, (not “drivers”, but rather “inspirations”) and fuses them into profound, authentic, exponential company growth.

Extremely rare a revolutionary book like this comes out, with something so fundamental and attainable - inside us all.

Amazing deep dive into Empathy!

Such interesting case studies and unique perspectives on Empathy that are truly progressive in their approach. More people should operate in this way.