How Leaders Are Redefining Human Flourishing From Construction to MIT
Rebecca Dhrimaj
Welcome to the September edition of Return on Empathy. Each month, we bring you direct insights from our Return on Empathy (ROE) Podcast, exploring real-world leadership challenges across sectors.
In our Pass the Empathy Torch segment at the end of each episode, featured podcast guests answer a tough question on empathic leadership, then pose a candid follow-up question for the next guest to answer on air. This continuous chain of honest discussions forms the heartbeat of our cross-sector leadership community, The Empathy Collective.
September’s community theme was The Human Side of Change Leadership. Across construction, HR, healthcare, systems awareness, and positive organizational scholarship, one overarching truth emerged: Leading change isn't about rigid control—it's about staying curious, honoring human limits, and designing systems where compassion and thriving can coexist.
Here is a look back at our September torch questions and answers.
Pat Geary
President, Story Construction
Pat’s Response to Stephen Shedletzky's Challenge:
How do you lead when you cannot access empathy or relate to what someone is going through?
Curiosity Over Frustration: Rather than getting frustrated when facing unfamiliar perspectives, focus on asking humble questions to truly understand where the other person is coming from.
Policy vs. Humanity: Policies and procedures are meant to cover around 85% of situations—for the remaining 15%, you have to set aside rules and simply show up as a human who cares.
Empathy in a Chaotic World: Recognizing that the world is chaotic means accepting that outside pressures influence workplace dynamics, requiring leaders to operate with empathy and view themselves as caregivers.
Empathy Essential: When procedures fall short, lead with curiosity and human connection.
Pat's Empathy Challenge:
How do you help people understand that leadership is a continuous learning journey rather than a finite goal with a finish line?
Donna R. Long, SHRM-SCP
Senior HR Business Partner, Premier Health Partners
Donna’s Response to Pat’s Challenge:
Life-Long Growth: We are ever-evolving beings; when we stop learning, we stop growing and become stagnant.
Managing Diverse Personalities: Leadership cannot be a one-size-fits-all model. Adapting your leadership style to fit different personalities creates reciprocal growth and makes you a well-rounded leader.
Empathy Essential: Embrace the continuous journey—leadership is about expanding through reciprocal learning.
Donna's Empathy Challenge:
Where has empathy in your leadership been misunderstood or challenged, and how did you stay grounded in it anyway?
Dr. Mette Miriam Rakel Böll
Co-Founder & Research Director, MIT Systems Awareness Lab | Co-Founder & Executive Director, Center for Systems Awareness
Mette’s Response to Donna’s Challenge:
Empathy vs. Compassion: While empathy allows us to feel what others feel, it can lead to overwhelm and burnout if we lack emotional literacy. Compassion allows us to remain grounded in our own reality while intentionally showing up with care.
Rational Stance of Care: Choosing to care is a rational stance to promote well-being, not a sign of being "too soft" or "too tolerant".
Empathy Essential: Ground your empathy in compassion to care deeply without taking on systemic overwhelm.
Dr. Mette's Empathy Challenge:
Why isn't it a primary societal priority that our youth's mental health is declining, and where are the visionaries asking what kind of future society we actually want to build together?
Dr. Monica Worline
Faculty Director, Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Dr. Monica’s Response to Dr. Mette Miriam Böll’s Challenge:
The Threat Bias Dilemma: Human attention is naturally drawn to threats, fear, and negativity, which global media institutions amplify. However, human motivation relies on progress, purpose, and momentum.
Overlooking Everyday Kindness: In focusing on threats, we constantly overlook small daily acts of compassion, mutual generosity, and shared humanity happening all around us.
Social Architecture for Thriving: Thriving systems refuse to accept trade-offs between human well-being and collective performance. By designing networks built on trust, imbuing roles with worth, and creating meaningful routines, we unleash extraordinary creativity.
Empathy Essential: Shift focus from threat to progress—build social architectures that promote human thriving while holding people to high standards.
Dr. Monica's Empathy Challenge:
If you could describe an organization where performance and human flourishing feed each other, what comes to mind?
Steve Gund’s response will appear in next month’s article!
A Peek Inside Our Monthly Masterminds
On September 17, we hosted our Pod Club LIVE Mastermind event featuring president of Continuous MILE and author David A Galloway and Steve Gund, CEO of The Gund Company.
They explored The Human Side of Change Leadership by unpacking:
David’s Caring & Coaching Framework: How shifting from control and criticism to caring and coaching transforms how employees accept new initiatives.
Steve’s Psychological Safety Model: How a "no-layoffs" philosophy creates the psychological safety needed for employees to drive continuous improvement without fear.
Steve Gund and David Galloway share how they move teams from compliance to commitment
Join Us for Our Upcoming November Event!
Topic: AI & The Future of Work
When: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 @ 12 PM EST
Where: Online Livestream inside The Empathy Collective Community
As we move into October's community theme, Leading in the Age of AI, we invite you to join our special event on November 4th. We’ll discuss how leaders can leverage emerging technology while preserving human-centered empathy, psychological safety, and meaningful connection in the workplace.
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Monica Worline, Faculty Director, Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business & Committee Member of the AI & Organizational Flourishing Working Group
Matthew Loys Duncan, Head of Future of Work Thought Leadership at Microsoft
Dr. Rachel Wood, PhD, Cyberpsychology Researcher and Founder, the AI Mental Health Collective
BONUS: You will also gain access to our member-only mastermind on Leading in the Age of AI with world-renowned surgeon and author of Doctor AI, Robin P. Blackstone, MD, NACD.DC®. Register below and join us on Oct. 16th and Nov. 4th!
RSVP and Secure Your Spot for the Event Here (use promo code FUTUREOFWORK for 2 months free access)
