Display Empathy To Win Hearts

We often overlook a crucial theme in leadership: the importance of empathy over experience.

When individuals reach out in confidence, particularly during their moments of pain, they are not seeking our stories, comparisons, or solutions disguised as advice. Instead, they are looking for something much more profound.

They seek our presence, attention, and empathy. Too frequently, we interrupt their vulnerability with our own experiences. When someone shares their struggle, we instinctively respond with, “That reminds me of when I…” In that moment, the focus shifts from them to us, turning what was intended as support into a competition of experiences.

As a result, the person begins to notice this shift and realizes the futility in continuing