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Women Leaders: Unleashing Innovation Through Empathy and Psychological Safety at Work
This is your The Women's Leadership Podcast podcast.
Welcome back to The Women’s Leadership Podcast. Today, we dive into a topic reshaping workplaces everywhere: leading with empathy and how women leaders foster psychological safety at work.
Let’s get right to the heart of it. When we talk about empathy in leadership, we aren’t just talking about being “nice.” According to the Center for Creative Leadership, empathy is positively related to job performance, innovation, and organizational success. But what does this really mean for women? Women are especially poised to lead this revolution, drawing from a wealth of experience juggling many roles—leaders, caretakers, mentors, and often the connectors in both their professional and personal spheres.
What sets empathetic women leaders apart is the ability to actively seek diverse perspectives and value open communication. Angela Seymour-Jackson, Chair of PageGroup, reminds us that diversity on its own isn’t enough. Psychological safety only emerges when all voices, especially those from underrepresented groups, feel genuinely heard and respected. In practical terms, that’s more than holding open-door meetings. It means being intentional about engaging every team member, inviting feedback, and making it clear that questioning the status quo is not just tolerated, it’s encouraged.
Empathy also shows up in emotional intelligence—the skill that helps leaders read a room, provide feedback with clarity and care, and respond thoughtfully to challenging situations. Savitha Raghunathan of Red Hat explains that emotional intelligence fosters trust and respect, making teams more cohesive and resilient. That kind of psychological safety allows women to take risks, express new ideas, and even admit mistakes without fear, which studies show can directly enhance creativity and performance.
Many women in leadership have faced the uphill battle of proving themselves—often feeling more pressure and encountering more microaggressions than their male colleagues. A KMPG study found that 68% of women felt the need to prove themselves more than men, and over half experienced workplace microaggressions. That’s why psychological safety isn’t just about comfort; it’s about unlocking talent, creating stronger teams, and ensuring everyone has the space to shine.
What can leaders do to build this environment? Start by making psychological safety an explicit priority. Name it in meetings, discuss its link to team success, and show vulnerability by asking for help yourself. Foster open communication by encouraging all to contribute, especially those who may not always speak up. When mistakes happen, treat them as learning moments rather than failures to be punished. Finally, support employee resource groups, mentorship, and training tailored to empathy and inclusivity.
Women are redefining what it means to lead, making workplaces not just safer, but more innovative, productive, and truly inclusive. Let’s continue to share our stories and strategies, and lift each other up on this journey.
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Published on 4 days, 17 hours ago