This episode of The Well-Led Podcast: Other Voices explores what empathy really means in leadership—and why it plays a central role in building trust at work. Rather than treating empathy as a soft skill or personality trait, contributors describe it as a learned practice that requires presence, restraint, and the willingness to sit with discomfort. Through personal stories and professional reflections, this episode helps leaders understand how empathy shows up in real moments and why it changes how people experience leadership.
In this episode, contributors respond to two guiding questions: How do you define empathy? And who taught you to accept empathy from others—and how did that change your leadership? Their answers reveal that empathy is shaped by experience, strengthened through relationships, and essential to creating psychological safety without lowering expectations.
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Guest Information, listed alphabetically
Peggy Mark, Ph.D.
In her role as executive coach and leadership consultant, Peggy leverages her expertise in healthcare leadership, organizational learning, and nursing administration to support executives in discovering their own unique skills as a leader. Peggy is a lifelong student of leadership and organizational change. She finds immense joy in watching others succeed in their leadership journey.
Peggy Mark - Break-Through, LLC | LinkedIn
Utkarsh Narang
Utkarsh is the founder and CEO of IgnitedNeurons, a learning and development consultancy that strives to help its learners build new connections that lead to lasting change. With an extensive background in operations and transformational coaching, he is also the host of the IgnitedNeurons podcast.
Utkarsh Narang - Executive Coach Helping Ambitious Professionals Breakthrough Stuck Careers & Inner Frustration | Ignite Life Method
Ignited Neurons
The IgnitedNeurons Podcast - YouTube
Angela Wale
Angela has a long reputation as an insightful and compassionate professional, leader, and colleague. She currently serves as an executive nurse leader responsible for integrating technology resources with nursing practice, professional development, education and research for a regional health system.
Find Angela on LinkedIn
Key takeaways
Empathy is not about being agreeable, emotional, or soft
Empathy requires presence, not problem-solving
Leaders often need to learn how to receive empathy before offering it
Listening without fixing builds trust and psychological safety
Empathy helps people feel seen, heard, and valued
Empathy does not remove accountability or standards
Slowing down is often the hardest part of empathetic leadership
Leaders model empathy through how they respond to struggle
Trust grows when empathy is consistent, not performative
Empathy strengthens both relationships and results
Timestamps
[0:00:00] – Kate’s introduction to the Well Led Podcast & empathy theme
[0:01:36] – Peggy defines empathy as perspective-taking and compassionate listening
[0:02:40] – Peggy describes her husband teaching her to accept care and vulnerability
[0:05:54] – Utkarsh introduces himself and defines empathy as presence without control or fixing
[0:08:10] – Utkarsh’s coaching moment: being fully seen, silence, and emotional “cracking open”
[0:13:30] – Angela defines empathy as strengthening human connection through validation
[0:18:20] – Angela’s leadership example: resisting the urge to fix and asking how to best support
Keywords
empathy in leadership, building trust at work, empathetic leadership, psychological safety, leadership presence, human-centered leadership, leadership vulnerability, trust at work, emotional intelligence leadership, other voices podcast