Thank you for the gift you’ve given me…

Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any to express my appreciation for the wonderful gift you’ve given me this past year.

We’re a week away from the one-year anniversary of the publication of Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time. Whether you bought a copy of the book, left a review or rating on Amazon or Good Reads (and I’d appreciate one if you haven’t yet), hosted me on your podcast, engaged with my posts on social media or otherwise helped spread the word, thank you, thank you, thank you for this gift!

The secret to giving a great gift is empathy. Understanding the person you are getting a gift for, knowing something about them, their interests, hobbies, and what makes them happy will enable you to determine something that will bring them joy.

With the publication of the book, I’ve wanted to help people improve their empathy skills, which will help make the world a better place. Your engagement with this has helped make that possible. It’s the gift you’ve given me. Thank you!

We’re making progress but still have a long way to go. I’m confident that together we can bring about this change. One conversation at a time.

You’re Invited to Tell Me More About That’s 1-Year Anniversary Party!

The past year has had its ups and downs, as any life does, but mostly it's been a year of joy. In my first year as an author, I was lucky enough to share the skill of empathy on podcasts, countless flights (both coast to coast and abroad), live TV, and at in-person events, all of which reinforced my faith in our ability to combat the empathy crisis—one conversation at a time.

Now, I’m proud to be a participant in The Year of Joy, representing the superpower of empathy.

In fact, Empathy Week for the Year of Joy is next week, beginning 2/20. So, I’ve partnered with this joyous team to celebrate the book's anniversary with a special presentation on empathy.

I’d be honored if you would join me on Wednesday 2/22 at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT for this celebration and knowledge sharing.

And feel free to invite your friends and colleagues. Empathy (and joy) love company!

I hope to see you there.

(And you can sign up for the Year of Joy here!)

Food For Thought: The Right (and Wrong) Way to Fall in Love with Your Idea

What do you do when you are passionate about an idea, but it doesn’t seem to be gaining any traction?

Passion and conviction are necessary risks to take at work. Conviction is what your superiors see in your eyes when you are pitching an idea. It’s the spark that ignites when the data in your head strikes the knowing in your heart. And when you know something to be true, it’s that much harder to challenge it.

To help you overcome your unrequited affection, Ignite 360 compiled our top techniques to keep your idea-love from going wrong, this Valentine’s Day and beyond.

Here are 4 ways to create ideas worth loving:

1. Ground Down in Reality

An idea can’t become real unless you’ve built it from the ground up. What’s the business challenge the idea will solve? What makes it better than other approaches? Consider the other angles or ways of solving the problem. What makes this the right approach?

2. Listen to Outsiders

Are you listening to what you need to hear or what you want to hear? Passionate people often put blinders on and either won’t listen to what consumers have to say, or do so with selective hearing. At the end of the day, customers know themselves best. But are you willing to let them open your eyes?

3. Recalibrate Your Message

Are you providing the right information to enroll your stakeholders? Consider their points of view, and what might be missing that would get them to an enthusiastic “Yes!” Is your own enthusiasm appropriately tempered—or are you being a little too much cheerleader and not enough captain of the team?

4. Be Open to Rejection

Rejection stinks, but it is a part of life. So, try to use it as a learning experience. What was the rationale given for the rejection? What could you do better next time? Is this a forever “no,” or just a “no for right now”? Try not to take it personally, you might have better success with the next one.

Remember: When it comes to idea-love, be open, flexible, and keep it real.

Now, go enjoy a few chocolates!

Rob on Drinking with Authors Podcast!

I always have fun doing podcasts, but when there are cocktails involved, it kinda takes it to a whole new level.

And perhaps you could use a little cocktail inspiration for V-Day?

Thank you Erika Lance and Danielle Orsino for a tremendously fun hour of storytelling, adult beverages, and much more.

A toast to empathy! 🥂

My 2 drinks of choice? Nothing better than custom empathy cocktails developed by the experts at Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur.

The Empathically Intense Mezcal Margarita

You will need…

2 oz mezcal

1 oz Barrow's Intense

1 oz lime

Instructions: Shake and strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Or, if you’d rather go more wintery…

The Empathetically Intense Rye Smash

You will need…

2 oz Rye

1 oz Barrow's Intense

.5 oz lemon

.5 oz maple syrup

Instructions: Shake and strain into a rocks glass and with a garnish lemon twist.

You’ll want to tune in to the full episode to find out what Erika and Danielle are partaking in!

And if you want to have a second round with us, check out the Literary Briefs episode below that follows for even more shots of conversation.

Reading Between the Lines is a newsletter designed to deliver of-the-moment insights into human behavior and empathy, drawn from the world of marketing research; practical and tactical tips on using the skill of empathy in everyday life; and exclusive updates to keep my community close on a biweekly basis.

I hope you enjoyed this issue. If you know of others that would be interested, I’d appreciate you forwarding this email to them—or inviting them to sign up at the button below. Thank you!

P.S. I’d love for you to join me in celebrating the one-year anniversary of Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time in a virtual gathering on 2/22 at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT.

– Rob