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Leading with Empathy: How Melissa Is Redefining Leadership in the Age of AI
Manage episode 513370007 series 3691563
What does it really mean to lead with empathy—and why does it matter more now than ever?
In this episode, I sit down with Melissa, author of The Empathic Leader, to explore how empathy is reshaping the future of leadership, productivity, and innovation. Drawing from her research, data, and personal experience, Melissa shares why empathy isn’t a “soft skill” but a strategic advantage in today’s organizations.
She opens up about the moment that changed everything—walking away from a decades-long career as a musician because of unempathic leadership—and how that experience fueled her mission to teach leaders how to connect, communicate, and create cultures where people thrive.
We discuss:
- Why empathy drives profit, innovation, and trust
- The link between empathy, emotional intelligence, and effective leadership
- How empathy can coexist with boundaries and accountability
- Why empathy is a non-negotiable skill in the age of AI and rapid change
If you lead teams, aspire to lead, or simply want to understand people better, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership and remind you that empathy is both powerful and practical.
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Chapters
1. Welcome & Why Empathy Now (00:00:00)
2. Meet Melissa and The Empathic Leader (00:00:38)
3. Defining Empathy Beyond Feelings (00:02:55)
4. Author Journey and Toxic Workplaces (00:04:05)
5. Self-Empathy: The Starting Point (00:06:01)
6. A Four-Step Framework for Self-Empathy (00:06:54)
7. Publishing Setbacks and Persistence (00:08:15)
8. Vulnerability, Trauma, and Writing the Truth (00:10:13)
9. Empathy as a Hard Skill with Data (00:12:02)
10. Why We Don’t Teach Empathy (00:13:08)
11. Making Empathy Tangible at Work (00:14:45)
12. Direct and Empathic Can Coexist (00:16:20)
13. The Cost of Bad Communication (00:17:20)
14. Advice for Stuck or New Authors (00:18:14)
15. Mindset, Imposter Syndrome, Persistence (00:19:20)
16. Final Message and Where to Find Melissa (00:20:13)
17. Host Closing and Five-Day Challenge (00:22:54)
14 episodes
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