An Interview With Cynthia Corsetti
Empathy increases the ability to influence, as well as a team’s ability to learn.
Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, is increasingly recognized as a pivotal leadership trait. In an ever-evolving business landscape, leaders who exhibit genuine empathy are better equipped to connect, inspire, and drive their teams towards success. But how exactly does empathy shape leadership dynamics? How can it be harnessed to foster stronger relationships, improved decision-making, and a more inclusive work environment? As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Dominic Morais.
Dominic “Dom” Gray Morais was raised in the small town of Dayton, Texas, where the values of community and hard work were instilled in him from an early age. His journey took him to Vanderbilt University, where his passion for leadership and culture truly began to take shape. Studying Human and Organizational Behavior, while also playing on the varsity football team, ignited his interest in how people work together and lead.
Dom’s dedication to developing others led him to earn a master’s degree in Sports Administration from Eastern Illinois University. While there, he also worked as a strength and conditioning coach, helping to develop student-athletes not just physically, but as well-rounded individuals. His academic journey culminated at The University of Texas, where he earned a PhD in Physical Culture and Sport Studies, deepening his understanding of both individual and group dynamics.
These experiences laid the foundation for Dom’s approach to creating high-quality learning environments, leading teams, and shaping culture. As a sport management professor at Trinity University, he spent six years cultivating the next generation of leaders. However, driven by a desire to broaden his impact, Dom transitioned to a role within the corporate university at Spurs Sports & Entertainment. There, he further honed his skills in leadership development, eventually taking on the role of Manager of Onboarding and Enablement.
In parallel, Dom played a pivotal role in the co-founding of MindReady (www.mindready.co), a sport psychology coaching company focused on developing holistic skills in student-athletes. His passion for lifting others through sport and leadership led him to his current position at Tesla, where he serves as a People Development Partner. Outside of work, Dom continues to support the sport industry through his work with MindReady and his executive coaching clients, all while pursuing his own path of mastery in leadership and culture development.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about empathy, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
Of course. From a young age, I’ve always been the person people turn to when they’re at a crossroads or need a sounding board. Whether it was helping classmates with tough decisions in academics, being a leader on the football field, or later in life, leadership and offering guidance seemed to be roles that I naturally gravitated toward.
My time at Vanderbilt University was especially pivotal in shaping my path. I majored in Human and Organizational Behavior, a field that truly sparked my passion for understanding how people work together and lead. I remember vividly the classes where we’d dive deep into analyzing our group’s progress through the stages of team development — experiencing these dynamics in real-time. We even paid attention to the smallest details, like how a furrowed brow during discussions could signal someone’s hesitation or concern. This level of analysis wasn’t just academic; it was an immersive experience that provided an incredible foundation for my career and life.
Since then, I’ve often found myself in the position of being asked for advice, particularly by younger folks facing critical moments in their lives. They ask how I made decisions at those junctures, and I tell them that I’ve always followed my passion and aimed to do my best, trusting that success would follow. While I may never know exactly how true that is in every case, I choose to believe in the power of agency — the idea that by making deliberate choices and staying true to my passions, I’ve shaped my own path.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
Absolutely. I’ll share a story that marked a significant turning point for me — a moment when I truly became the author of my own narrative.
These days, we often hear about the importance of having a story, particularly one that involves overcoming adversity. While I agree that these stories can be powerful, I sometimes wonder if we celebrate the story itself more than the hard work it took to achieve success.
In reflecting on my own journey, I realize I don’t have a dramatic story of overcoming major hardships. I was fortunate to have supportive parents, good health, and access to education. Despite these advantages, there have been moments in my career when I could have easily settled, content with where I was. But one moment stands out when I made the decision not to settle.
In late 2020, after completing my sixth year as a sport management professor at Trinity University, I realized that the holiday break wasn’t recharging me as it once did. I was beginning each new semester with less energy than before. It wasn’t the people, my supervisors, or the students — it was me. I wanted more. I wanted to broaden and deepen the impact I was making in the world. So, in early January 2021, with nothing lined up and no clear idea of what was next, I told my supervisors that I wouldn’t be returning in the fall. They kindly offered to let me stay until I found something else, but I declined. I knew that if I had the safety net of my role at Trinity, I might never leave. It felt extreme, but the metaphor that kept me going was “burn the ships.” There was no turning back, and I was determined to steer my own course.
By June 2021, I had finished the spring semester and was teaching an extra summer course. My savings were dwindling, and I still had no firm leads for a new role. But then, an incredible opportunity opened up at Spurs Sports & Entertainment. I joined in August 2021 and worked under a brilliant leader who pushed me to new heights. It was like earning another degree, but this time in Learning and Development. What I learned during that time continues to pay dividends in every new chapter of my story.
Since making that leap, my sense of empowerment has only grown, pushing me to keep exploring and testing my limits in pursuit of mastering my craft.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
MindReady (www.mindready.co) sets itself apart by adopting a systems-thinking approach to how we serve our clients. We understand that creating awareness and providing resources are essential first steps in personal and professional growth, but they’re not enough on their own. To truly make an impact, we focus on facilitating behavior change. There are plenty of motivational speakers who can inspire you for a day or two, and countless stories online that might spark a moment of reflection. But without corresponding behavior change, that new awareness rarely translates into lasting outcomes.
What makes our approach unique is our belief that leadership begins with self-leadership. Before someone can effectively lead others, they need to learn how to lead themselves and, just as importantly, how to be a great follower. This focus on self-awareness and social awareness — both key components of emotional intelligence — is woven into all of our programming, skill-building, and culture development initiatives. We recognize that, like a plant, no matter how much you water it, if the pot (or in this case, the culture) isn’t conducive to growth, you’re fighting an uphill battle. The environment must be right for people to truly flourish.
That’s why we take a multi-faceted approach when working with groups. We know that every part of the system needs to be aligned for real change to happen. If the coach isn’t fully on board with our methods, the experience will falter; if parents are too involved or involved inappropriately, our effectiveness diminishes; and if we don’t see improvements in outcomes, we won’t be able to sustain our work with that group. Our systems-thinking approach ensures that all these elements — coaches, parents, culture, and more — are working together harmoniously to support the development of the individuals and teams we serve.
By looking at the bigger picture and ensuring that all aspects of the system are aligned, we’re able to drive meaningful, lasting change that goes beyond the surface level. It’s about creating an environment where true growth can happen, both for the individual and the organization as a whole.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Thank you for the compliment. I believe the first character trait that has been instrumental to my success is remembering that we are all people first, each embodying different identities and experiences. At the end of the day, nearly all of us want to feel loved, accepted, and understood. I’ve always kept this in mind, especially when starting at a new company. While I’ve often been eager to jump in and add value immediately, I’ve learned that it’s important to take a step back, observe, and wait for the right opportunities to contribute, rather than steamrolling others or overshadowing their contributions. This approach has consistently helped me build trust and reduce friction within teams, creating an environment where collaboration can thrive.
Emotional intelligence is another key trait that has played a significant role in my journey. I was first introduced to the concept during my undergraduate years, where I learned to pay attention to the subtle cues in others’ behavior — things like tone of voice, body language, and even the emotions behind the words people use. Over the years, through a combination of therapy, coaching, reflective practices, and extensive reading, I’ve worked hard to enhance my emotional intelligence. This ongoing effort has been crucial in helping me understand my own emotions, ensuring that I react in ways that align with my values rather than impulsively.
A particular example of this came during my time at Spurs Sports & Entertainment. After a company restructure, I was offered the role of onboarding and enablement manager. Initially, I was disappointed because it wasn’t the direction I had envisioned for my career. But instead of letting that disappointment dictate my actions, I focused on the bigger picture. I maintained professionalism and respect for my boss’s decision, understanding that there was an opportunity here, even if it wasn’t immediately apparent. By embracing the role with an open mind, I was able to uncover new skills and perspectives that have since become invaluable in my career.
Lastly, effective communication has been a cornerstone of my success. Through my experiences in writing, speaking, and leading teams, I’ve learned the importance of being specific, precise, and organized in how I communicate. Whether in meetings or on email chains, I prioritize asking insightful questions that get to the heart of the issue. For instance, when discussions start to go in circles, I often find it helpful to ask, “What is the actual problem we’re trying to solve here?”. This simple question can cut through the noise, realign the conversation, and drive progress, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and moving toward a common goal.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.
Providing constructive feedback, especially when emotions are running high, is often one of the toughest parts of leadership. I remember a specific instance at Spurs Sports & Entertainment when one of my direct reports was feeling particularly frustrated. She was part of a developmental program that was still in its early stages, and there wasn’t enough clarity around her role, her responsibilities, or her long-term future with the organization. This uncertainty, understandably, was causing her a lot of stress, and it all came to a head during a high-profile task where she expected more involvement from me than I was able to provide at the time.
At that moment, I had a choice to make: I could meet her frustration with my own, or I could step back, listen to her concerns, and offer a constructive path forward. It wasn’t easy, as I was doing the best I could, but many of the things she was upset about were outside of my control. Instead of trying to placate her or sweeping the issue under the rug, I reminded myself that while I couldn’t control her emotions, I could control my own actions and how I responded to her. Her reaction to my feedback was her responsibility, not mine.
It took a few weeks for things to settle down between us. We didn’t immediately return to the easy rapport we had before, but by consistently communicating openly and with empathy, we eventually reached a new level of mutual respect. In the end, she went on to earn a higher-level position in a different but related department, which I was really proud to see. We still keep in touch to this day, and that experience was a valuable reminder for me that maintaining empathy and professionalism — even in the most challenging situations — can lead to deeper, stronger relationships.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. How do you define empathy in a leadership context, and why do you believe it’s a vital trait for leaders to possess in today’s work environment?
Brené Brown offers a compelling perspective on empathy that really adds depth to the conversation. She defines empathy as the ability to connect with the emotion someone else is experiencing, even if you haven’t lived through their specific situation yourself. It’s about understanding and sharing the feelings of another person in a way that resonates deeply, even when their circumstances are different from your own.
In practice, empathy means truly listening — being fully present in the moment and feeling the weight of what someone is sharing, whether it’s joy, frustration, or anything in between. It’s about making an authentic connection without letting our own experiences overshadow the other person’s. For example, imagine a colleague shares that they’ve received a promotion. Empathy in this context would mean celebrating their achievement, recognizing their joy, and keeping the focus on their experience. If we start comparing it to our own promotions or experiences, even with the best of intentions, we risk hijacking their moment and diminishing the significance of their achievement.
Empathy allows us to prioritize others’ interests in a way that aligns with servant or transformational leadership. It’s about demonstrating that we genuinely care about their well-being, and that our actions are motivated by more than just our own agendas. When people see that your motivation is rooted in their well-being, it builds trust. They know that you’re in their corner, not just as a leader, but as someone who genuinely understands and supports them.
Can you share a personal experience where showing empathy as a leader significantly impacted a situation or relationship in your organization?
In my current role at Tesla, I facilitate leadership development programs, which often involve guiding leaders through some of the most challenging aspects of their roles. About three months into my tenure, the company underwent significant layoffs, a moment that had a profound impact on everyone in the organization. The atmosphere was understandably tense — people were uncertain about their futures, and morale had taken a hit.
During one of the leadership training sessions that I facilitated shortly after the layoffs, I made a deliberate decision to address the situation head-on. I acknowledged the layoffs directly, speaking openly about how challenging the experience was, not just for those who were let go but for those who remained as well. I talked about how this added an extra layer of difficulty to leadership, making it even more important to lead with empathy and understanding.
As soon as I addressed this shared experience, you could almost see the tension in the room start to lift. My co-facilitator and I noticed a marked change in the group — people became more open, more willing to share their own thoughts and feelings. By being transparent and vulnerable about the situation, I created a space where others felt safe to do the same. This openness led to a much more meaningful and connected experience for everyone involved. It wasn’t just another training session; it became a moment of collective healing and growth.
Empathy can be simple in concept but challenging in practice, especially in situations like this where emotions are running high and uncertainty is pervasive. Yet, when we lead with empathy, it opens doors to possibilities that might otherwise remain closed. It allows us to connect on a human level, fostering trust and collaboration in ways that are essential during tough times.
How do empathetic leaders strike a balance between understanding their team’s feelings and making tough decisions that might not be universally popular?
This question touches on something I’ve pondered for quite some time: how does one make decisions as the stakes increase? When you’re faced with tough decisions, it can feel like the stakes couldn’t be higher — especially when you start worrying about how your choices might affect your team’s support. There’s a real fear that making the wrong call could lead to losing the trust and morale of your team, which can be a daunting prospect for any leader.
The key to balancing empathy with tough decision-making lies in how you consider the element of time. When we focus solely on the short-term impact of a decision, there’s a natural tendency to be more concerned about hurting feelings or causing immediate discomfort. This can lead to decisions that are more about avoiding conflict in the moment than about solving the problem effectively. You might find yourself limiting your options, addressing only the immediate consequences to keep the peace, rather than thinking about what’s best in the long run.
However, if you take a longer-term perspective — say, over the course of a year — you can remind yourself that you’re making the best decision for the situation at hand, even if it’s difficult in the short term. This broader view allows you to communicate your rationale more effectively, giving your team the context they need to understand your decision. It also gives your team time to adjust, to see the bigger picture, and to align with the ultimate goals you’re aiming for.
By treating your team with empathy throughout the decision-making process — being transparent about your thought process, acknowledging their concerns, and following up afterward — you not only make it easier for them to accept difficult decisions, but you also build stronger relationships and foster better buy-in for future decisions. Over time, this approach helps to solidify trust, as your team comes to understand that even when the decisions are tough, they’re made with their best interests — and the organization’s success — in mind.
How would you differentiate between empathy and sympathy in leadership? Why is it important for leaders to distinguish between the two?
Brene Brown’s video on empathy versus sympathy provides a great explanation of the difference between the two, and it’s a distinction I’ve thought about often. To me, empathy feels like saying, “I wonder how they’re really doing with this?”. It’s about stepping into someone else’s shoes and genuinely connecting with their experience. Sympathy, on the other hand, tends to sound more like, “That’s too bad,” which can sometimes come across as a bit distant or even dismissive. Sympathy allows us to acknowledge someone’s situation, but it often keeps us at arm’s length, not fully engaging with the emotional weight of what they’re going through.
Empathy is about connection — about showing someone that you’re willing to sit with them in their discomfort because their well-being genuinely matters to you. It’s about being present in their moment of need, offering support not just with words, but with your presence and understanding. Sympathy, while still valuable, often involves maintaining a certain distance, which can help us avoid getting too emotionally involved but can also create a barrier to deeper connection.
While empathy is often seen as the more desirable approach, I believe there’s a place for both empathy and sympathy in leadership. Too much empathy can sometimes lead us to lose focus, especially if we start prioritizing short-term feelings over long-term goals. For instance, being overly empathetic might cause a leader to avoid necessary but difficult decisions because they don’t want to upset anyone in the moment. On the other hand, too much sympathy can make us detached, leading to a lack of understanding or connection with our team. If we’re too quick to sympathize without truly engaging, we might miss the opportunity to build trust and strengthen relationships.
Finding the right balance between empathy and sympathy is crucial for effective leadership. It’s about knowing when to fully engage with your team’s emotions and when to step back just enough to maintain perspective and make the tough calls. This balance helps ensure that we can support our team emotionally while still driving them toward the goals that matter most.
What are some practical strategies or exercises that leaders can employ to cultivate and enhance their empathetic skills?
There are numerous strategies — many of which have been employed by leaders throughout history — to develop empathetic skills. These include practices like journaling, therapy, taking silent walks in nature, coaching, identifying your core values, or even talking out loud to yourself as a way to process your thoughts. The common thread in all these methods is the importance of naming your thoughts and emotions in a concrete way. Research shows that when we articulate what we’re feeling, we activate different parts of our brain, which can lead to clearer thinking and better decision-making.
Journaling, for instance, allows you to reflect on your day-to-day experiences, helping you identify patterns in your reactions and emotions that you might not notice in the moment. Therapy provides a structured space to explore your emotions deeply, often revealing underlying beliefs that influence how you interact with others. Silent walks in nature offer a chance to disconnect from daily distractions and reconnect with your inner thoughts, while coaching can provide external perspectives that challenge and refine your self-understanding. Even something as simple as talking out loud to yourself — naming what you’re feeling or thinking — can make those emotions more tangible and easier to manage.
In addition to these practices, there are various assessments designed to help us develop greater self-awareness and social awareness. Tools like Gallup Strengths, DISC, the Big Five Personality Traits, Hogan Assessments, and the Enneagram provide valuable insights into our behavioral tendencies, strengths, and areas for growth. These assessments offer a starting point for self-discovery, helping us refine our understanding of ourselves and how we behave in different situations.
Ultimately, being an effective leader begins with leading yourself first. These practices and tools help you do exactly that by shining a light on the self-limiting beliefs and behaviors that might be holding you back. By identifying and uprooting these barriers, you can lead with greater empathy, clarity, and confidence, setting the foundation for authentic and effective leadership.
How can empathy help leaders navigate the complexities of leading diverse teams and ensure inclusivity?
I work diligently to identify the most universal skills, approaches, and guidelines, building my own set of heuristics to make effective decisions. Empathy is one of those universal tools — it allows me to find a consistent approach that works with everyone, saving energy by focusing on what to do rather than trying to remember all the things not to do based on individual differences.
Instead of getting caught up in mental gymnastics, trying to tailor my approach based on generational status, appearance, or the language someone has already used, empathy offers a simpler path. It’s about putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes, which might be as straightforward as asking, “I see your written name is Francis, but what would you like to be called?”. At the end of the day, we all want to be addressed in a way that makes us comfortable, but not everyone has the courage to voice that. So, while empathy is often seen as “soft,” it actually takes guts to do something that might seem unconventional.
Another way empathy proves its worth is by reminding us that every person has an infinite number of life experiences, and we only see a tiny fraction of them. With that in mind, we can align our actions to be more inclusive, like sending out questions before a meeting to give everyone time to think or asking, “Who haven’t we asked about this proposal?”. It might even feel a bit odd to ask a question and withhold your own answer to reduce bias, but it opens the door for everyone to contribute fully.
Finally, when I think about heuristics, I apply a few key theoretical lenses — like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Self-Determination Theory. These frameworks highlight the elements humans need to reach self-fulfillment and stay motivated. By keeping these in mind, we can focus on what our people need, becoming servant leaders who help shoulder the load when solving problems with our team, rather than just pushing them to find the solutions on their own.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways Empathy Will Affect Your Leadership”?
1. Empathy can increase trust.
Trust is the bedrock of any relationship, be it in the workplace or beyond. It’s no surprise that trust correlates with a variety of positive employee outcomes, including higher engagement, productivity, and retention. But what really underscores the role of empathy in building trust is the way it empowers leaders to prioritize the needs of those they lead.
For instance, imagine a leader who allows their team the flexibility to choose how they work, whether that means hybrid or remote arrangements. This kind of autonomy, a key element of Self-Determination Theory, often leads to employees working harder and being more committed because they feel trusted. However, this isn’t easy for every leader. Extending trust first — without the need for constant monitoring — makes a leader vulnerable. This act of empathy requires boldness, especially in cultures where control and oversight are the norms.
It takes courage to do what feels right intuitively, and empathy is often the catalyst for that leap of faith. By putting yourself in your team’s shoes and understanding their needs, you foster an environment where trust can flourish, and that trust, in turn, drives the success of the entire team.
2. Empathy can increase the connection, motivation, and engagement of a team.
I once worked with a leader at Spurs Sports & Entertainment who joined as the Head of People and Culture. Within six months, they had led a major restructure, rebranded HR to People and Culture, transformed our compensation philosophy, and initiated the migration to a new HR Information System. It was an incredibly demanding period for them and for our entire department.
During a leadership meeting, we were all sharing our accomplishments, and I noticed that when our leader spoke about these monumental changes, they did so in a very objective manner — almost at arm’s length. While I was impressed, I was also curious about how they truly felt about the massive strides they had made. So, I asked them directly, “How do you feel about these accomplishments?”.
What happened next was powerful. Our usually composed leader paused, their eyes welled up, and they said, “I am so ****ing proud.” Tears began to fall, and in that moment, we all stood up and gave them a group hug. The room was filled with a renewed sense of purpose and connection. I was ready to go through walls for that person, just like everyone else in the room, and I’d work for them again in a heartbeat.
Empathy played a crucial role here in two ways. First, by showing genuine curiosity and concern for our leader’s emotional state, we deepened our connection to them and to each other. We weren’t just working to hit targets; we were part of a shared journey that had real, personal significance. Second, this moment of vulnerability from our leader inspired us to keep pushing forward, knowing that we were contributing to something meaningful. The impact of that meeting stayed with me long after I left the organization.
3. Empathy can increase communication on a team.
We’ve all had that teammate we just didn’t click with, or someone who seemed to drain our energy. Often, this disconnect is rooted in differing communication styles. At Spurs Sports & Entertainment, I had a colleague who was my polar opposite in terms of work pace and approach. They were steady, precise, and always asked, “What are all the ways this can go wrong?” Meanwhile, I’m more flexible and driven, always thinking, “What’s the one reason this will go right?”
Initially, this difference caused some friction, but everything changed when we took a DISC behavioral assessment. The insights from that assessment helped us understand each other’s values and motivations. With that understanding, our trust grew, and we became much more willing to listen to each other’s perspectives. What had once been a challenging working relationship transformed into a highly productive partnership — and even a friendship.
Empathy was the key to unlocking this transformation. By taking the time to understand where the other person was coming from, we were able to bridge our differences and work together far more effectively.
4. Empathy accelerates the rate of innovation.
Human-centered design is more than just a buzzword — it’s a powerful approach that hinges on empathy. Whether in learning, user experience, or any other business endeavor, putting the customer first is paramount. This means understanding their barriers to success, their pain points, and their journey with your product or service. And when it comes to leading a team, empathy helps you identify what your team members need to thrive in their roles.
Let’s say you’re a servant leader who takes the time to get to know your team deeply. After a week of one-on-one conversations, you learn that half your team members are more introverted and need a bit more time to process ideas before giving feedback. Armed with this insight, you decide to send out meeting agendas with specific questions in advance, giving everyone time to prepare.
When the meeting rolls around, you notice that everyone comes ready to contribute, the discussion is more inclusive, and you’re able to reach a decision by the end — without needing to schedule another follow-up meeting. This empathetic approach not only streamlines decision-making but also boosts your team’s motivation by showing that you value their working styles and contributions.
When people see that their efforts lead to better outcomes, they become more motivated. By modeling empathy, you encourage others to adopt similar approaches, leading to a more innovative and engaged team.
5. Empathy increases the ability to influence, as well as a team’s ability to learn.
As leaders, we often have access to information that our team doesn’t, and that’s by design — we’re expected to see the bigger picture. However, how we communicate this information can make all the difference in how it’s received and acted upon.
The difference between a good leader and a great one lies in how they communicate the “why” behind their decisions. A good leader might explain the “why” after they’ve outlined the “what,” but a great leader starts with the “why” to build understanding and buy-in from the start.
Imagine you’re leading a team through a change to your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. You could start by explaining the features of the new system, but a more effective approach would be to first ask your team to share their frustrations with the current platform. By starting with their experiences, you frame the change as a solution to their problems, making them more receptive to it.
This approach, rooted in empathy, aligns with change management best practices, where involving your team in the decision-making process increases their sense of autonomy and motivation. When people feel heard and involved, they’re more likely to embrace change and engage in continuous learning.
Empathy, innovation, learning, motivation, communication, engagement, and trust are all interconnected. Trust is the foundation that supports these elements, and empathy is the catalyst that strengthens that trust. As the saying goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” By leading with empathy, you open doors to success that might otherwise remain closed.
Are there potential pitfalls or challenges associated with being an empathetic leader? How can these be addressed?
It’s important to recognize that empathy exists on a spectrum, and like anything, it can have its challenges. In some organizational cultures, empathy may be undervalued or even seen as a weakness. These cultures often prioritize results above all else, which can lead to a disconnect between leadership and team members. High-level leaders, in particular, might fear that showing empathy could make them appear indecisive, incompetent, or unconfident. They worry that by focusing too much on people’s feelings, they might lose their edge, or be perceived as too “soft” to make tough decisions.
The key is to strike a balance between empathy and other leadership qualities. Too much empathy can lead to indecision or a focus on short-term feelings at the expense of long-term goals. For example, a leader might hesitate to make necessary changes because they don’t want to upset the team, potentially slowing down progress. On the other hand, too little empathy can result in a lack of connection and trust, which can hinder team performance. In such cases, leaders may push through changes without considering their impact on the team, leading to disengagement or even resistance.
By balancing empathy with a focus on results and process, leaders can create an environment where people feel valued and motivated to achieve their best. It’s about understanding when to lean into empathy and when to prioritize decision-making and outcomes, ensuring that neither is sacrificed at the expense of the other.
Off-topic, but I’m curious. As someone steering the ship, what thoughts or concerns often keep you awake at night? How do those thoughts influence your daily decision-making process?
I sleep pretty well most nights, to be honest. But when my mind is racing, it’s usually because I’m trying to deconstruct experiences to understand patterns and identify universal principles that seem to apply across different situations. It’s like my brain is working overtime, analyzing and re-analyzing events to figure out the best way forward.
Lately, I’ve been particularly focused on the constant polarity we experience in life — the tension between soaring into the clouds to create big-picture goals and visions, and then diving into the weeds to execute the detailed plans that bring those visions to life. This duality is a constant cycle, where we oscillate between dreaming and doing, strategizing and implementing.
This back-and-forth process deeply informs my decision-making. It reminds me to consider both short-term and long-term consequences of any action. For example, when I’m making a decision, I ask myself not only how it will impact the immediate situation but also how it might ripple out over time. Our aim dictates what we see, and by keeping both time horizons — near and far — in mind, I can make decisions that are more informed, balanced, and aligned with my overall goals, or those of my team, department, or company.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
It would be a dream to create a network of schools under the MindReady umbrella that uses the unique experiences of student-athletes as a springboard for learning traditional academic subjects. Imagine a school where the lessons learned on the field or court are directly tied into the classroom. For example, students could dissect a coach’s pregame speech in a communication course, analyzing the rhetoric and strategies used to motivate a team under pressure. Or they could break down the physics behind a perfectly executed corner kick in soccer, using real game footage to explore concepts like force, trajectory, and momentum.
These schools wouldn’t just focus on academics in isolation; they would emphasize socioemotional skills and decision-making as the bedrock of success. By using sports as a lens, we could teach broader life lessons about teamwork, resilience, and leadership. The idea is to create an environment where the discipline, focus, and strategic thinking developed in sports are seamlessly integrated into traditional learning, helping students see the connections between their passions and their education.
How can our readers further follow you online?
They can follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominicgraymorais/
Or check out MindReady’s website at: www.mindready.co
MindReady is also on social media –
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindready_us
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindready_us
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindready/
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Cynthia Corsetti is an esteemed executive coach with over two decades in corporate leadership and 11 years in executive coaching. Author of the upcoming book, “Dark Drivers,” she guides high-performing professionals and Fortune 500 firms to recognize and manage underlying influences affecting their leadership. Beyond individual coaching, Cynthia offers a 6-month executive transition program and partners with organizations to nurture the next wave of leadership excellence.
Dominic Morias Of MindReady: 5 Ways Empathy Will Affect Your Leadership was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.