Empathy in Leadership

Maggie Ellis

So empathy—it's, like, the cornerstone for any great leader, right? I mean, you can't just bulldoze your way through team dynamics and expect things to magically fall into place. It's about recognizing, you know, the hopes and fears that drive people. And trust me, people have a ton of both.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, absolutely. And it’s not just about recognizing it, is it? Like, true empathy is stepping into someone else’s shoes and really seeing things from their perspective. It’s harder than it sounds—

Maggie Ellis

Oh, way harder, let me tell you! When I started managing my first team, I had this one guy—absolute rockstar when it came to work output, but wow, loads of tension with coworkers. At first, I thought, "Great, I'll just manage around him," right? But I—I totally missed the point. His frustration came from, get this, not feeling heard. Classic lack of empathy on my part!

Ruby Sturt

And what happened when you finally figured it out?

Maggie Ellis

Oh! So, I actually sat down with him one-on-one. I said, "Okay, what's really going on here?" The dude just unloaded stuff I—I’d never even considered. By acknowledging his concerns, boom, his dynamic with the team totally shifted. He went from being a stress point to being a glue guy—holding people together. Wild transformation.

Ruby Sturt

It’s such a good reminder, isn’t it? People aren’t difficult; they’re just, well, dealing with something. And when leaders can tap into that—like authentically listen—the team starts to connect on an entirely different level. It’s all about surfacing the unspoken fears and hopes, really.

Maggie Ellis

And, you know, that goes hand in hand with being a facilitator. Like, you’re not just the boss. You’re the one stitching everything together, pulling out what unites people while addressing the stuff that divides them. No easy task!

Ruby Sturt

It’s so true. And sometimes, it feels like the hardest part isn’t solving the issues themselves, but getting everyone to feel heard and invested in those solutions.

Maggie Ellis

Exactly! You’re building trust and inclusion along the way. And by the time people feel part of the process, the solutions, you know, almost take care of themselves.

Ruby Sturt

Exactly, and part of that facilitation is making space for the voices that don’t naturally dominate the conversation. You know, you can’t just let the loudest or most confident people steer the entire dynamic. Sometimes, the most transformative ideas come from those you least expect—

Maggie Ellis

Oh, totally! And you wanna talk about dangerous assumptions? That’s one right there. It’s like giving a megaphone to the same few people while the rest just quietly fade into the background.

Ruby Sturt

Exactly. And this can be tricky for new leaders, right? You’re stepping into this big, established dynamic. Some people feel, like, hyper-empowered by your style, while others are afraid their voices are gonna disappear completely.

Maggie Ellis

Yeah, and that’s where balance comes in. You’ve gotta—I mean, you’ve really gotta keep an eye on those power dynamics. You don’t wanna tilt the scales so much that it creates new divisions.

Ruby Sturt

That reminds me of this leader I once worked with. She had this incredible ability to level the playing field. So, she’d make it a point to, um, include everyone, no matter how hesitant they were to speak up. One time, she implemented this roundtable system—

Maggie Ellis

Wait, like mandatory participation?

Ruby Sturt

Not exactly. It was more about making sure everyone had a chance to contribute. She’d frame things in a way that gave quieter team members a voice without putting them on the spot, you know? And the result? People started stepping up, sharing ideas that literally transformed how the team operated. They felt genuinely empowered.

Maggie Ellis

That’s such a game changer. And what’s key there is her neutrality, right? She wasn’t playing favorites or imposing her own preferences. She stayed focused on the bigger picture, the principles that brought the team together in the first place.

Ruby Sturt

Oh, absolutely. She had this way of, like, guiding people without pushing her own agenda. And it built massive trust because she wasn't, you know, picking sides or being swayed by who was the loudest or most persuasive.

Maggie Ellis

Which is so hard. I mean, leaders are humans. We—we all have our biases. But when you lean into principle-based decisions instead of personal instincts, that’s what creates real stability. And let’s be honest, teams pick up on that transparency fast.

Ruby Sturt

Right? It’s like, when people see that kind of fairness, they’re way more willing to engage, even with challenging or divisive topics. It’s creating, I guess, this sense of psychological safety where everyone feels like they have something to contribute.

Maggie Ellis

And that’s really the foundation for progress. When everyone feels heard, trust isn’t just some abstract ideal anymore—it’s tangible, and it fuels the team’s success. Okay, so next up...

Maggie Ellis

You know, speaking of trust and team success, there’s this one mindset that really throws a wrench in the works—a scarcity mindset. It’s when people start guarding their turf because they’re scared there’s not enough to go around, and it completely stalls connection.

Ruby Sturt

Totally. And that fear, it feeds into cliques and silos, doesn’t it? Like, you get these little bubbles within teams that just... don’t communicate.

Maggie Ellis

Exactly! Instead of acting as one unit, you’ve got these isolated groups thinking, "How do I protect my piece of the pie?" But here’s the thing—good leaders? They don’t just bake a bigger pie. They show everyone there’s more than enough to go around.

Ruby Sturt

Oh, I love that metaphor. And I feel like, when leaders start embracing that abundance mentality, the whole energy starts to shift. Suddenly, collaboration feels safe because no one’s losing anything by sharing ideas.

Maggie Ellis

Right, and this ties directly into emotional intelligence. Like, leaders have to, you know, read the room. It’s not just about solving problems; it’s about understanding how people’s insecurities or fears drive those silos in the first place.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah. That’s where regular feedback is key, isn’t it? Not just, like, the obligatory "annual review" stuff, but honest, day-to-day conversations. Those little check-ins where people feel seen and valued—

Maggie Ellis

Oh, 100 percent. And, you know, making work an enjoyable space has to be part of that too. Like, let’s be real—all the emotional intelligence in the world isn’t helpful if your team’s just dragging themselves through the day.

Ruby Sturt

Okay, but creating that fun, lighthearted vibe at work is an art, don’t you think? It takes more than just organizing some Friday pizza parties. There’s this balance between keeping things professional and... letting people show up as their full, authentic selves.

Maggie Ellis

Totally. Like, I—I had this one team where we started doing these silly, end-of-week "wins and fails" sessions. People would share one professional win and a funny personal fail. It sounds goofy, right? But it created this space where people felt way more connected.

Ruby Sturt

I love that. And honestly, those moments of connection, they ripple out. When people enjoy being around each other, collaboration just comes so much easier.

Maggie Ellis

And it circles back to that inclusivity we’ve been talking about. When people feel like they belong and their voice matters, suddenly, the team isn’t just working—it’s thriving.

Ruby Sturt

Exactly. And the best leaders? They’re the ones who pull all these threads together—abundance, emotional intelligence, feedback, and, well, a bit of fun—to create a space where everyone wins.

Maggie Ellis

And on that note, I think that’s a wrap for today. What do you say?

Ruby Sturt

Definitely. We covered some serious ground. Thanks for tuning in, everyone! Can’t wait to do it all again soon.