Tactical Empathy

Boundaries are essential for practicing empathy and compassion. In part 1 of this 2-part series, Erin explores the importance of balancing empathy and boundaries in leadership and personal relationships. She emphasizes the need for leaders to hold their own boundaries and understand their own emotions while also considering their team's feelings. The episode highlights the role of empathy in b...

In this episode, Erin Thorp chats with Dan Underwood as he shares his journey from being an introverted kid to becoming a leader through the practice of empathy. He shares his experiences in corporate leadership, family business, and coaching, highlighting the importance of self-awareness, genuine connection, and understanding oneself and others. Dan emphasizes that empathy is a natural human qual...

In this episode, Erin Thorp speaks with Richard Lee-Thai, a connection consultant. Richard shares his journey of overcoming loneliness and social isolation, leading to the creation of his role as a connection consultant. The conversation delves into the meaning of empathy, the challenges of practicing empathy, and practical techniques for developing empathy skills. Richard emphasizes the importanc...

In part two of this two-part series, Erin discusses the final two stages of the conscious competence learning model and their application in developing teams. The stages are conscious competence and unconscious competence. Erin provides examples from teaching her kids to drive and using online meeting platforms. In the conscious competence stage, individuals are aware of what to do and are startin...

In this two-part series, Erin Thorp explores how empathy can be used as a leadership tool to help teams progress from beginners to competent masters. This first episode focuses on the first two stages of the conscious competence learning model: unconscious incompetence and conscious incompetence. Erin provides examples of teaching kids to drive a manual car and learning how to use online meeting p...

In this conversation, Erin interviews Michael Lopez who shares his leadership journey, emphasizing the influence of team sports, military experience, and consulting. He discusses the importance of empathy in leadership and provides practical techniques for developing empathy skills. The conversation delves into the significance of self-empathy and the impact of diversity in team dynamics. Today on...

In this episode, Erin explores the power of a simple question that can interrupt our cycle of automatic judgment and open up space for empathy. The question is: 'What else might be going on here?' She explains that our brains are wired to make quick judgments for survival, but this automatic reaction doesn't serve us in challenging situations or interactions with others. By asking this...

In this episode, Erin speaks with Deb Porter, an expert in listening. Deb shares her journey and insights on becoming a professional listener. She emphasizes the importance of holding space and offers practical tools for active listening. Their conversation covers the core elements of active listening, including centering oneself, setting intentions, and asking the right questions. Deb's appro...

In this episode, Erin shares a personal experience of navigating through a shame spiral and how she used empathy to overcome it. She discusses the importance of catching negative thoughts and reframing them, as well as the need to nurture oneself in difficult moments. Erin emphasizes the power of self-awareness and self-care in maintaining emotional well-being. She also highlights the continuous p...

In this conversation, Erin speaks with Tara Paton, a team effectiveness consultant and personal success coach, Tara shares her experience of transitioning from a non-empathic leader to someone who had to flex her empathy muscle during a challenging time. She discusses the importance of self-awareness, setting boundaries, and practicing self-recovery to avoid burnout. Tara emphasizes the need to ho...

In this episode, Erin explores the power of presence in practicing empathy with ourselves and others. Erin shares her own practices of cultivating presence, such as walking in nature and engaging in breath work. Erin emphasizes the importance of being fully connected to oneself before engaging with others to hold space for their feelings and perspectives. Being present and attentive allows for a d...

In this episode, Erin talks with Julia O'Grady, owner and founder of ITM events, and discusses the importance of tactical empathy in leadership. Julia shares her personal definition of empathy as listening wholeheartedly to understand, rather than listening to respond. She highlights the challenges of practicing empathy, such as the tendency to blame and the fear of difficult conversations. Sh...

In this episode, Erin explores the profound impact of correctly pronouncing and using unfamiliar names. Names are deeply tied to identity and heritage, and learning them demonstrates respect and empathy. Personal anecdotes underscore how mispronunciations can hinder connections. Erin emphasizes the transformative power of getting names right, fostering inclusivity and understanding in various sett...

In this conversation, Kelly Beattie discusses the importance of empathy in the context of change. She highlights the common emotions and perspectives that arise during change initiatives, such as fear and anger. Kelly emphasizes the role of grief and loss in change and the need to acknowledge and address these emotions. She also explores the challenges of practicing empathy in change leadership an...

In this episode of Tactical Empathy, host Erin Thorp explores the importance of self-care and self-exploration in leadership. She shares personal challenges she faced and the solutions she discovered, including managing energy with energetic time management and developing self-care practices like floating and hydrotherapy. Erin emphasizes the need to embrace emotions and build emotional capacity,...

In this conversation, Steven discusses the role of empathy in leadership and how it has influenced his own leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry, mentoring, and writing. He shares his personal journey of embracing empathy despite societal expectations and the challenges he faced in practicing empathy. Steven emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries with empathy and finding a balan...

In this conversation, Erica Zygelman, a leadership coach and consultant, discusses the importance of empathy in leadership. She shares her background in tech and media and how the lack of support and training for new leaders inspired her to become a leadership development coach. Erica defines empathy as understanding, appreciating, and valuing other people's perspectives, feelings, thoughts, a...

In this conversation, Megan Stanley, the founder and president of Dogma Training, discusses the importance of empathy as a leadership skill. She shares her definition of empathy as taking the time to understand others' perspectives and experiences. Megan highlights the challenges of practicing empathy, especially during times of stress. She also explores the difference between practicing empat...

In this episode, Erin explores the question of how to teach a team, specifically women, to have empathy for themselves. The conversation delves into the importance of understanding empathy and judgment, and how they relate to self-care and accountability. Erin emphasizes the need to practice discernment and listen to one's own needs in order to give oneself grace and hold oneself accountable....

In this conversation, Jacqueline Fisch discusses the importance of empathy in written communication. She highlights the need for a shift in communication styles, moving away from authoritative and dictatorial approaches towards a more collaborative and empathetic approach. Jacqueline emphasizes the importance of considering the audience's perspective and building trust in written communication...

In this episode, Erin Thorp explores the inside and outside skills of empathy that help us navigate through tough times at work. She introduces the concept of the new golden rule, which involves treating ourselves the way we want others to treat us. She also discusses the platinum rule, which emphasizes treating others how they want to be treated. Erin emphasizes the importance of practicing empat...

In this conversation, Ryan Englin, the founder and CEO of Core Matters, discusses the importance of empathy in leadership and attracting talent. He shares his experiences and lessons learned from his previous leadership roles in corporate and explains how empathy can be a powerful tool in the workplace. Ryan emphasizes the need for leaders to understand and acknowledge the challenges and struggles...

In this episode, Erin Thorp discusses the overwhelming human desire to solve other people's problems and the need to lead with empathy. She shares her own experiences and challenges in seeking understanding and connection in her leadership journey. Erin explores the reasons why people default to fixing and offers insights into building empathy muscles. She emphasizes the importance of slowing...

In this episode, our host, Erin talks with Matt Ohley, a Construction Manager at Ajax Paving in Tampa Florida, about the importance of empathy in the construction industry and how it can improve leadership.  Matt shares his definition of empathy as walking in someone else's shoes and understanding their perspective. Together they address the challenges to empathy, including ego and societal ex...

In this episode, Erin Thorp explores the relationship between empathy and change. She discusses the self-criticism and self-judgment that often arise during times of change and emphasizes the importance of self-empathy in navigating these challenges. Erin explains that developing empathy muscles allows us to recognize and question our own thoughts and perspectives, leading to personal growth. She...