KATHARINE MANNING
blackbird FOUNDER
Attorney with more than 25 years’ experience guiding organizations to empathy when it matters most.
About Katharine
Katharine Manning teaches and writes about leading with empathy when it matters most. She began as a hotline counselor at a domestic violence clinic, and eventually became the Justice Department’s expert on victim rights, advising the Department on its response to victims in cases like Madoff, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Along the way, she learned a few things. It turns out that the way to support a victim of child exploitation is not that different than the way you support a victim of identity theft. Or, in fact, a coworker who’s furious about the way his boss spoke to him in a meeting, or an employee whose father is dying. When we’re in pain, we need the same things.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to provide those things. We don’t know what to say, or worry that we’ll overstep. Often we ignore the issue entirely. That’s where Katharine comes in. She advises organizations on better responses to those in trauma and distress. We’ve certainly seen a lot of it lately.
You can see her advice in her book, The Empathetic Workplace: 5 Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job (HarperCollins Leadership 2021). She also writes for Fast Company, PsychCentral, CEOWorld, and ThriveGlobal.Â
Katharine has spoken at conferences and for organizations like Walmart, Boston University School of Law, Skandia, SXSW, WIPL, YPO, the IVY, ESOP, EEOC, NOVA, EVAWI, NCVC, OneJustice, Justice Clearinghouse, the Center for Excellence in Public Leadership, and the International Association of Business Communicators. She works virtually, with a global client base.
Here are a few things people have said about Katharine’s presentations:
• She has a great ability to engage the audience with examples and stories.
• Presenter did an outstanding job. Extremely personable approach to the material and presentation.
• Super helpful and well explained in a concise and effective way.
• I thought the speaker was amazing.
• Katharine Manning is an absolute delight! A+
• Very useful in everyday life, not just in our careers.
• Very interesting topic and very well presented – will be extremely useful to me.
Katharine also coaches leaders on increasing their emotional intelligence (the fastest way to improve communication, productivity, and loyalty).
“Katharine creates a safe space to discuss truly sensitive issues.”
Why Work With Me?
It’s never been more important that we develop the skills to support our teams through hard times. As we return to the office, so many are suffering the effects of the upheaval and trauma of the past two years. Recent surveys show that 55% of American workers are looking for a new job. What they crave isn’t a higher payment; it’s meaning and connection. Employers that are able to show through their actions that they care about their workers are going to surge forward in this new era.Â
The Empathetic Workplace
Learn the five steps to respond with compassion and skill to challenging issues at work:
1. Listen: Active listening, controlling your own emotional response when hearing a difficult story, and how to wind down the discussion when it’s no longer productive.
2. Acknowledge: How to acknowledge that someone has shared information without overpromising, denying, or distracting.
3. Share: What information can be shared with someone and how to share in a way that a person in distress can hear you.
4. Empower: Provide the person with resources they need while not overstepping boundaries.
5. Return: Both to check in on the person later and to return to yourself–supporting yourself even as you support others.Â
PRAISE FOR THE EMPATHETIC WORKPLACE
If you are a leader, responding to trauma is part of your job–a part of your job you’ve probably not been trained for. The Empathetic Workplace will teach you how to take care of the person harmed, yourself, and your team. At any given time, but especially during Covid, at least one of your employees is likely experiencing trauma–illness, racism, sexual harassment, a daily barrage of microaggressions, financial strain. Your response can maximize the odds of recovery and build relationships that give work meaning.
Katharine Manning’s ground-breaking book The Empathetic Workplace is required reading for every leader from the CEO to the first-time manager. This book will shock you into awareness of the ‘silent’ enemy – trauma – which impacts individual and team performance in all organizations. Katharine’s 25 years of experience as a counselor, advocate and legal advisor, make this the most comprehensive book to address the trauma crisis that exists today. Add this book to your leadership toolbox immediately and put Katharine’s insights into action.Â
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