Episode 253: Shermin Kruse

On the clear connection between stoicism and empathy; the gift of learning to bear challenges with steadiness. - 0:00 – Introduction - 3:03 – Discussion on Shermin's Book "Stoic Empathy" - 5:33 – Stoicism and Empathy: Personal Experiences - 12:48 – Living with Uncertainty and Moral Decisions - 27:10 – Strategic Empathy and Emotional Regulation - 43:10 – Practical Applications of Stoic Empathy - 50:19 – Closing Remarks and Future Plans Shermin Kruse is a globally recognized author, law professor, negotiation consultant, TEDx producer, and author of *Stoic Empathy*. Born in Tehran during political upheaval, she immigrated to Canada as a child and earned degrees in philosophy and neuropsychology from the University of Toronto, followed by a law degree from the University of Michigan. Her work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom, neuroscience, and the art of negotiation; and her life is the proof of what she teaches. She spent nearly two decades as a partner at Barack Ferrazzano, a prestigious Chicago law firm, representing Fortune 500 clients in high-stakes negotiations, cross-border transactions, and corporate litigation. She is currently a professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where she teaches stoic empathy negotiations, leadership, and global transactions; her book Stoic Empathy is required reading for the advanced negotiation course there. As founder and executive producer of TEDxWrigleyville, she has produced and scripted over 80 TEDx and TED talks and performances with millions of views across dozens of countries, and has delivered three TEDx talks herself on advocacy, stoicism, and strategic empathy. She serves on the boards of the ACLU and RefuSHE, has founded multiple NGOs, and has been recognized as one of the nation's top 100 Women to Watch by BizWomen Magazine. She is also the author of the novel *Butterfly Stitching* and the textbook *Global Transactions and Regulation*. Shermin lives in Chicago with her four children.