#76: Join host Suzanne Weller and Patricia Bravo (Founder of Bravo for You) as they explore why empathy requires courage in today's workplaces and how leaders can use empathy strategically without sacrificing results.
Key Topics:
- Empathy isn't a soft skill — it's a strategic leadership advantage that requires courage to implement effectively.
- Patricia defines empathy as "accurately identifying cues and clues to activate understanding"
- Research: 10% increase in empathetic leadership = $1,000/employee/year productivity boost
- The pitfall of confusing over-empathizing with over-responding
- Set boundaries while maintaining understanding
- Focus on genuine connection, not checking boxes
Key Takeaways:
- Empathy saves time rather than draining time for busy leaders
- Understanding ≠ agreement - it's about better decision-making data
- Courage is required to prioritize empathy in traditional business cultures
- Small investments yield big returns - 10 minutes can transform relationships
- Results follow relationships - empathy drives productivity, loyalty, and discretionary effort
Notable Quote: "It's not about slowing down business. It's actually about creating relationship shortcuts, which saves time."
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