William Athay 

If you ask me why I am a conservative, the answer isn’t philosophical. It’s practical. As a law professor once broadly stated: conservatives aspire to do what experience shows works; liberals aspire to try something new they hope will work. While both are needed for a stable and improving America, I believe that on balance, most decisions in governance are better served by looking to what we know works.

Empathy works. Compassion for our fellow Idahoans works. The desire to understand the needs, perspectives and concerns of others with different lived experiences works. Be skeptical of anyone who tells you those aren’t conservative values. They are — even if some have forgotten it.

Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller 
Blending personal trauma, academic research, and client work, Dr. Robinson-Winemiller delivers a powerful argument for why strategic, actionable empathy is the next evolution of leadership - not as a soft skill, but as a competitive edge.

"Organizations without empathy can't continue as they have in the past - I know this, because I've lived it. Command-and-control style leadership is dead. Empathy offers a smarter, data-driven, results-oriented, and skills-based path for leaders ready to supercharge their impact for the future, said Dr. Robinson-Winemiller. "Empathy isn't soft or fluffy, and it's not just about feelings. It's a measurable, teachable skill that directly impacts profit, performance, and innovation."

Empathy.
Empathy is no longer a “soft skill.” It’s a core strength that defines how leaders connect, motivate, and sustain the people they serve.

Because great leaders don’t just lead teams.
They lead hearts.

💡 What Is Empathy in Leadership?
Empathy in leadership means the ability to:

Radical Empathy
by David Wells
WORLD PREMIERE
Radical Empathy is not about you.
When an American college professor’s TED Talk on empathy goes viral, he meets an Iraqi man who becomes a fixture in his virtual classroom. But when the brutality of the U.S.-led invasion hits the Iraqi man directly, the professor is forced to explore “the kindred connection from a place of deep knowing that opens your spirit to the pain of another as they perceive it.” (Isabel Wilkerson) A true story.

By empathy we mean the ability to understand the emotions and point of view of another person and use this understanding to guide future action. This process involves the activation of complex functions on many levels, although neuroscience have taught us that it is part of the genetic equipment of our species and is probably one of the most powerful engines of evolution.

A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that people value empathy more when they believe it comes from a human, even if the actual response was generated by AI. The research reveals that human-attributed responses are perceived as more supportive, more emotionally resonant, and more caring than identical AI-generated responses.

By Seth Eisenberg

A recent New York Times profile of conservative YouTube host Allie Beth Stuckey shines a spotlight on one of the most influential voices in today’s intersection of faith and politics — especially for young Christian women. Her platform, steeped in evangelical theology and conservative values, doesn’t shy away from provocative statements. But one term in particular caught my attention: “toxic empathy.”

In a conversation with Ross Douthat, Stuckey warns her followers that too much empathy — especially when directed at people whose values or identities diverge from their interpretation of Scripture — can be dangerous. Her concern is that empathy, taken too far, erodes biblical truth and moral clarity.

I respectfully — and passionately — disagree.

Kira Stein

Over the past year-and-a-half, I’ve witnessed something deeply disturbing: empathy itself being used as a weapon instead of a bridge. I call this phenomenon “empathicide.”

As a practicing psychiatrist, I have spent my life appreciating and teaching the value of empathy — one of humanity’s most precious tools for healing, connection, and moral growth. But over the past year-and-a-half, I’ve witnessed something deeply disturbing: empathy itself being used as a weapon instead of a bridge. I call this phenomenon “empathicide.”

What Is Empathicide?

Empathicide is the social and psychological process where the genuine, healing intent behind empathy is distorted into an instrument that excludes, dehumanizes, or silences.

A Window Into Empathy
This research adds to a growing understanding that the brain is constantly processing social information, much of it below conscious awareness. The next challenge is to figure out how to help people access and trust those latent signals more effectively—improving social connection and reducing loneliness.

As the authors note, effective social signaling and accurate inference are foundational to human relationships. By clarifying how these processes unfold in the brain, we move closer to understanding—and perhaps enhancing—the empathy that keeps our communities connected.

Depending on where you look, the world seems more divided than ever before. In many ways, society’s love of individualism has isolated us. Combined with the hyper-tailored tech algorithms, this has created more siloed conversations and polarizing viewpoints. With such a system to navigate, it’s no surprise that empathy for your fellow man isn’t often prioritized.

But the truth is that a mass turn to empathy is necessary at this juncture. Nothing will come of dehumanizing others. Now more than ever, we must harness the power of human connection to guide meaningful change, and those in leadership positions can lead the way with their actions.

Empathy fosters a positive work environment. Empathetic leaders and managers can create a supportive and inclusive work environment. Employees who feel understood and appreciated are more engaged and motivated. Empathy in the workplace can lead to higher job satisfaction, reducing employee turnover and the associated costs of hiring and training new staff.

“Leadership is about empathy,” said entertainer Oprah Winfrey. “It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.

Carl Jung’s Warning About Empaths — It’s Darker Than You Think | Carl Jung Original
🌌 In this hauntingly powerful message inspired by the original writings and teachings of Carl Jung, we explore the hidden, archetypal shadow of the empath.

🕊️ Empathy is praised as virtue—but Jung knew better. Behind the sensitivity lies a dangerous threshold, where the line between compassion and possession vanishes. The empath becomes not a healer, but a sponge for the world’s unresolved pain.

📖 In this full-length audio experience, discover:

Why Carl Jung believed unconscious empathy leads to psychic fragmentation

How empaths become vessels for ancestral and archetypal wounds

The mythic warning signs that your soul is not your own
The path of individuation: reclaiming spiritual sovereignty
The difference between witnessing pain and absorbing it
💡 This isn’t spiritual romanticism. This is psychological initiation.
🕯️ Listen closely—and ask yourself:
“Is this feeling mine?”

Empathy is more than just feeling sorry for someone
It’s about understanding their emotions, seeing the world through their eyes, and responding with compassion. Sometimes, the right words can open our hearts and deepen our awareness of others' struggles. These 10 powerful quotes offer insight into what empathy truly means and why it’s so essential in a divided world.  

Leading with empathy requires us to have humility in complex situations—seeking to understand and be strategic instead of using assumptions and quick reactions. 

That’s why I teach people to be consciously curious. It’s the practice of slowing down our judgments, letting go of the need for instant certainty, and asking better questions to explore. Assumptions might work fast, but we need more than speed. Here’s how to do it.

When an American college professor’s TED Talk on empathy goes viral, he meets an Iraqi man who becomes a fixture in his virtual classroom. But when the brutality of the U.S.-led invasion hits the Iraqi man directly, the professor is forced to explore “the kindred connection from a place of deep knowing that opens your spirit to the pain of another as they perceive it.” (Isabel Wilkerson) A true story.

In a Noisy World, Listening Is Revolutionary

In our hyperconnected age, everyone has something to say—on social media, in meetings, at home, and in the constant stream of texts and notifications. We are awash in words.

Yet more than ever, people are desperate for something rarer and more precious than information: to be truly heard.

Listening is an act of generosity, attention, and care. It’s the foundation of strong relationships, effective leadership, creative collaboration, and social healing. But real listening—listening that goes beyond “waiting to talk”—is surprisingly hard, and getting harder.

Why does listening matter so much? What gets in the way? And how can you reclaim the art of listening for a richer, more meaningful life?

Empathy and (or vs?) AI
In an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, Stein’s insights carry both beauty and warning.

Today’s AI systems can produce what appear to be empathic responses. Chatbots can offer words of comfort, algorithms can detect sadness in a voice or hesitation in a text. These responses may sound convincingly human. But what they lack, Stein would insist, is presence.

The emotional language of AI, no matter how polished, is not rooted in a real lived engagement with another’s experience. It is imitation without consciousness.

That said, artificial intelligence can still serve, not substitute, empathy. AI tools can suggest gentler ways to phrase difficult truths, helping real people communicate with more compassion. When used this way — as an assistant rather than a replacement — AI can amplify and even fine-tune our capacity for attentiveness and care.