Empathy is an Executive Superpower

Great Executives don’t just steer the ship – they tune into the weather conditions around them and check the temperature of the crew – they utilize empathy as their superpower. Far from being just a “soft skill,” empathy is now considered both a cultural and financial differentiator, especially in today’s tech-driven and rapidly evolving workplace.

Empathy is at the core of effective leadership because it fosters connection, builds trust and enhances team performance. Research has shown that empathetic organizations realize dramatic increases in innovation, engagement, job satisfaction, and retention with employees feeling more invested when their leaders truly understand their workload and perspective.

This approach isn’t just inspirational. It’s statistical:

· Employees who see their leaders as empathetic are 8.5 times more likely to be highly engaged.

· An astonishing 93% of employees say that they would stay longer at a company with an empathetic employer.

· For organizations, failing to operationalize empathy means leaving as much as $180 billion on the table annually due to attrition and lost employee engagement.

· Employees in unempathetic workplaces are 1.5 times more likely to leave within six months, 3 times more likely to perceive workplace toxicity, and 1.3 times more likely to experience mental health challenges.

Five Empathy Strategies to Practice:

1. Listen to Understand, Not Respond

Slow down, focus your attention on the person with whom you are speaking. Ask questions to better understand the employee.

2. Narrate Your Decision-Making

Share the “why” behind your decisions, especially when stakes are high. Demonstrate transparency by communicating your thought process.

3. Hold Reverse Mentor Sessions

Invite newer employees and diverse voices to teach you about cultural impacts of your decisions and organizational friction points. These sessions don’t just reveal simmering issues; they foster trust and inclusion.

4. Run Empathy Audits During Change

Gather informal feedback from your team about their concerns and hopes.  Ask for their opinions and solicit recommendations.

5. Model Self-Regulation

Respond to crisis with composure, acknowledge emotions during conflicts, and admit mistakes with humility. Your reactions become the template for your organizational climate.

When we embrace empathy as our superpower, the results reverberate throughout the organization. There is more engagement, less turnover, and a legacy of trust is fostered to help the crew weather the next storm ahead.

Read More about Empathy:

“Empathy Is More Than a Soft Skill for Business Leaders," Inc. Magazine, May 24, 2025.​

"The Empathy Edge: Leading Global Teams in the Age Of AI," Forbes, September 21, 2025.​

"Empathy At Work Enhances Leadership, Productivity and Profits," Forbes, July 8, 2025.​

"Executive Empathy Is a Superpower," Inc. Magazine, June 12, 2025.​

"Empathy in Leadership: What Employees Expect in 2025," Effective Retail Leader, July 17, 2025.​

"Research Shows: Empathy, An Effective Leadership Skill," The Humphrey Group, November 17, 2024.​