TEDx speaker, EQ coach, and author Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller joins Serena to challenge the myth that empathy is a “soft” extra. She shares her journey from French horn professor to empathy-in-leadership researcher after a toxic workplace experience, then breaks down the different types of empathy and how leaders actually apply them—especially in tough conversations and high-pressure environments.

Key Takeaways

• Empathy is multi-dimensional. Beyond “I feel what you feel,” leaders can (and must) use cognitive empathy (perspective-taking) and self-empathy (self-awareness and reflection). These forms help you understand others even without shared experiences.
• Empathy takes work—and courage. Many avoid it because stepping into someone’s world can be uncomfortable; only about a third will choose the empathy-requiring path.
• The “dual-route” model matters. Emotional empathy is fast and instinctive; cognitive empathy is slower and chosen. Effective leaders use both.
• Boundaries ≠ lack of empathy. Self-empathy means knowing your capacity and keeping boundaries so you can truly show up for others.
• Kind vs. nice. Empathy isn’t people-pleasing. It may require hard conversations (e.g., honest performance feedback) done with care so people can grow.
• Business case: When leaders genuinely employ empathy, productivity, innovation, and profit rise; performative “buzzword” empathy backfires and erodes trust.
• Empathy first, then EI tools. Consider empathy the precursor that helps you choose the right emotional-intelligence skill for the moment.
• Start with self-empathy. You can’t sustain empathy for others without it.

Practical Takeaways for Introverted & HSP Leaders

• Use cognitive empathy prompts in 1:1s: “What might this look like from their side?” (choose to perspective-take).
• Check capacity before deep talks: if depleted, set a boundary and reschedule—this is self-empathy in action.
• Replace “nice” with “kind + clear”: deliver honest feedback that enables growth; skip people-pleasing.
• Lead with empathy, then select the EI tool (communication, motivation, etc.) that fits.

Memorable Quote

“Empathy is not always very nice—but it’s always kind.”

About the book

The Empathic Leader: How EQ via Empathy Transforms Leadership for Better Profit, Productivity, and Innovation — a primer on what empathy is (and isn’t) and how to apply it in today’s AI-shaped workplaces.

Next Steps

FIND OUT MORE about Melissa’s work:
https://eqviaempathy.com/

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This episode was edited by Aura House Productions