112. Why Empathy (Not “Nice-ness”) Drives Performance with Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller

TEDx speaker, EQ coach, and author Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller joins Serena to challenge the myth that empathy is a “soft” extra. She shares her journey from French horn professor to empathy-in-leadership researcher after a toxic workplace experience, then breaks down the different types of empathy and how leaders actually apply them—especially in tough conversations and high-pressure environments. Key Takeaways Empathy is multi-dimensional. Beyond “I feel what you feel,” leaders ca...