Empathy is often described as a “soft skill” — something nice to have, but not essential for business. But what if we’ve been thinking about it all wrong?

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I’m joined by Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller — TEDx speaker, executive coach, host of The Empathic Leader podcast, and author of The Empathic Leader: How EQ via Empathy Transforms Leadership for Better Profit, Productivity, and Innovation.

Melissa introduces the idea of practical empathy — empathy as a skill you can develop, measure, and apply every day. We explore why empathy starts at home with self-empathy, the leadership keystone. She explains how reflection and awareness drive better leadership decisions, and why empathy and judgment cannot exist in the same space. Along the way, Melissa shares personal stories, research insights, and practical steps leaders can use to build cultures that are more innovative, more productive, and more human.

----more----

• Self-empathy is the keystone. Leaders can’t show empathy for others if they don’t first understand and connect with themselves.
• Reflection builds awareness. Daily self-reflection and awareness of impact create the foundation for better decisions and relationships.
• Empathy is a skill, not fluff. Practical empathy is skills-based, data-driven, and outcomes-oriented — not just “being nice.”
• Empathy and judgment can’t coexist. Removing judgement opens the door for leaders to grow, connect, and build trust.

----more----

The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:10 – Why empathy matters more than ever in leadership 0:02:45 – Meet Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller: researcher, coach, author 0:05:26 – A career unravelled: when organisations show no empathy 0:07:05 – What Melissa means by “practical empathy” 0:09:43 – Can empathy be learned, or is it innate? 0:12:30 – Defining self-empathy: the leadership keystone 0:16:27 – The role of judgment and why it blocks empathy 0:22:09 – The path to building self-empathy: reflection, awareness, empathy 0:30:28 – How self-empathy leads to corrective action and growth 0:36:38 – Performative empathy: why saying it isn’t enough 0:41:56 – The business case: empathy’s impact on profit, productivity, and innovation 0:45:51 – Melissa’s three Sticky Notes of advice

----more----

Get the full transcript of the episode here

Strong business relationships don’t happen by accident — they’re built with intention, consistency, and genuine care. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I’m joined by Brad Englert, business advisor, former CIO at the University of Texas, and author of Spheres of Influence: How to Create and Nurture High-Quality Connections.

Brad shares the three keys to build strong business relationships that last. Drawing on decades of leadership experience and client work, he explains how these principles work in practice and why so many leaders unintentionally undermine their relationships by skipping them.

We explore real-world stories of trust, missteps, and turning points — from leading complex change to creating partnerships that stand the test of time. Whether you’re managing stakeholders, working with clients, or leading a team, Brad’s approach will help you build stronger, more mutually beneficial relationships that drive results.

----more----

• Relationships need intention. Strong partnerships aren’t built on chance — they’re created with purpose and consistency.
• Know their goals. Understanding someone’s aspirations is the first step to earning trust and creating value.
• Set clear expectations. Misunderstandings shrink when everyone knows what’s expected from the start.
• Care about their success. Genuine care turns transactions into long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.

----more----

The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:10 – Welcome and why relationships matter now 0:03:25 – Meet Brad Englert: advisor, former CIO, author of Spheres of Influence 0:04:08 – From CIO to advisor: lessons that shaped Brad’s approach 0:09:40 – Partnerships and trust: the foundation of strong relationships 0:15:38 – When ‘selling’ erodes trust (and what to do instead) 0:19:38 – Building relationships with intention inside complex organisations 0:26:04 – A simple system to stay connected and build strong business relationships 0:33:25 – Where to start when you’re early in your career or lack influence 0:35:32 – When relationships go wrong: how to reset and repair 0:49:25 – Brad's 3 Sticky Notes of advice

----more----

Get the full transcript of the episode here

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I speak with Dr. Jo Burrell, Chartered Psychologist, Co-Founder of Ultimate Resilience, and named on HR Magazine’s “HR Most Influential Thinker” list. Jo has just completed a survey of nearly 1,500 HR practitioners — and the findings are a wake-up call for organisations everywhere.

The results? High levels of stress, exhaustion, and burnout across HR teams. These are the very people responsible for safeguarding the physical and mental health of the workforce — yet many are running on empty themselves.

We explore why HR’s wellbeing is a business-critical issue, the case for HR Supervision, the stigma around showing emotion at work, and how leaders can build psychologically safe workplaces for all.

----more----

• HR is in crisis. Jo’s survey of nearly 1,500 HR practitioners reveals widespread stress, burnout, and exhaustion.
• When HR suffers, so does everyone else. The wellbeing of HR teams underpins the success of all workplace wellbeing strategies.
• Supervision is a lifeline. HR Supervision offers a safe space to protect and strengthen those responsible for supporting others.
• Emotion isn’t weakness. Tackling the stigma around showing emotion is key to building psychologically safe workplaces.

----more----

The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:10 – HR Crisis Behind Workplace Wellbeing 0:03:44 – Meet Dr. Jo Burrell and today’s focus on HR wellbeing 0:04:15 – Jo’s background and the work of Ultimate Resilience 0:08:25 – The Rachel Reeves moment: why visible emotion hit a nerve 0:11:55 – Why emotion gets judged at work (and what that does to trust) 0:20:16 – Survey spotlight: HR practitioners on stress and wellbeing 0:21:17 – Burnout and anxiety rates vs the general population 0:30:33 – What is HR Supervision? Scope, purpose, and value 0:33:32 – How supervision strengthens HR decision‑making and wellbeing 0:49:25 – Jo's 3 Sticky Notes of advice

----more----

Get the full transcript of the episode here