Empathy in Higher Education Leadership Without Losing Your Edge: Changing Higher Ed podcast 294 w...

Описание: In this week’s Changing Higher Ed® episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Laura Parson, Associate Professor at North Dakota State University and founder of The Empathy Classroom, about empathy as a practical leadership competency that strengthens communication and decision follow-through without lowering standards.



What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:



✓ Empathy As A Competency: How to treat empathy as a repeatable leadership skill, not a personality trait.



✓ Perspective Taking: A clear definition of empathy that includes both seeing another viewpoint and understanding what it feels like.



✓ Empathy Vs. Sympathy: Why empathy is connection with boundaries, and why pity or emotional fusion undermines leadership judgment.



✓ Stronger Decision Follow-Through: How “showing you listened” improves trust and reduces escalation, even when decisions are unpopular.



✓ Better Questions Under Pressure: Why “why” questions trigger defensiveness, and how “help me understand” language gets better information.



✓ The Power Of The Pause: A simple behavior that improves active listening and reduces reactive communication.



✓ Self-Other Distinction: How leaders can stay present without absorbing everyone else’s emotions.



✓ Burnout Protection: Practical ways emotional literacy and mindfulness reduce whiplash in high-conflict environments.



✓ Culture Effects That Matter: How empathy supports retention, productivity, creativity, and psychological safety across teams.



✓ Teaching And Student Engagement: Why perceived empathy influences engagement and performance in learning environments.



✓ Avoiding “Empathy Lite”: How performative empathy erodes trust, and what authentic empathy looks like in real leadership moments.



✓ Building The Skill: A practical approach to developing empathy through scenario practice and rehearsal.



This episode provides practical guidance for presidents, cabinet leaders, department chairs, and board members who need to sustain standards and accountability while improving trust, reducing defensiveness, and protecting leader capacity in high-pressure environments.