Dr. Michael Thomas uses the platform of empathy and compassion to illustrate how diversity and inclusion efforts are most effective from a place of empathy – not sympathy. During this talk, Dr. Thomas unpacks the differences between empathy and sympathy, the effects on diversity and inclusion based on these lenses, and how to effectively utilize empathy in your diversity and inclusion efforts. At the end of this session, you will have a clear understanding of why an empathetic approach is better than a sympathetic approach and a model for employing empathy in your workplace. 

Social capital, the relationships people have with formal and informal networks, plays a significant role in how people navigate their lives from day to day. Often overlooked, within these social constructs exist invisible systems that set a precedent for how people are to behave, feel, and interact with one another. These systems, if not explored, can be the very things that are preventing your client(s) from achieving their financial goals. In this presentation, Dr. Michael Thomas will unpack systems theory in conjunction with social capital theory as a way to help you address the systems of your client(s) as a way to encourage sustainable behavioral change.

We live in a world where your clients are being inundated with information. Major alerts, breaking news, and micro distractions are ubiquitous in our everyday lives. None of which is random. Your clients are navigating systems that have been carefully designed to nudge and encourage their behavior for attention, time, and money. Have you taken the time to consider the impact that visual cues have on behavior and how you can create information that actually motivates optimal client behavior? In this session, we will explore data visualization’s motivation on human behavior and how you can use it for good.