We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Paula Knight a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Paula, so excited to have you with us today and we are really interested in hearing your thoughts about how folks can develop their empathy? In our experience, most folks want to be empathic towards others, but in a world where we are often only surrounded by people who are very similar to us, it can sometimes be a challenge to develop empathy for others who might not be as similar to us. Any thoughts or advice?
My passion for ethical management is driven by a deep understanding of the profound impact that respect and fairness can have on an employee’s well-being and productivity.
I’ve endured numerous injustices, including receiving unfair wages far below the standard for my responsibilities and facing gaslighting and ridicule when requesting pay increases. I’ve witnessed the hypocrisy of management support and experienced abusive behavior without recourse due to office politics.
These experiences have solidified my belief in the necessity of fair and livable wages, robust non-monetary benefits, and a supportive, respectful work environment where achievements are consistently recognized, and swift action is taken to address employee concerns and safety.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a demographer and business growth expert. I specialize in helping startups, nonprofits, and small businesses with limited budgets establish and grow their businesses the right way. I conduct in-depth research to help organizations refine their business plans, optimize strategic operations, and ethically hire & retain top talent.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Observation helped me understand how poor management practices negatively affect a business’ bottom line and led me to educate myself on how ethical management not only creates healthier staff, but a healthier business as a whole. Adaptability has been crucial for navigating business growing pains, both for my clients and myself, and pivoting strategies effectively. And innovative thinking has enabled me to develop creative solutions when budgets are tight, so growth is still very achievable no matter the financial situation.
For those still early on or facing growing pains, you’ve got to consistently embrace change. Listen to and learn from diverse experiences, and stay open-minded to creative solutions – especially those being offered by the folks your business’ success relies on most.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My therapist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://courcollab.com
- Instagram: @courcollab
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