A leader discovers her “empathy superpower” is burning her out, until she learns the crucial difference between feeling others’ pain and helping solve their problems.
The Story
Renna always thought she was a “people person.” She prided herself on remembering birthdays, asking about her team’s families, and staying late to help stressed-out coworkers. Empathy, she believed, was her superpower. But things started to unravel.
It began with sleepless nights, thinking about her team member’s illness. Then came the pit in her stomach after absorbing heated outbursts. Slowly, Renna noticed she was snapping at home, zoning out in meetings, and dreading Mondays.
Her mentor Claire sat her down. “You’re not failing because you care too much. You’re just doing it wrong.”
“Wrong?”
“You’re taking on everyone’s pain like it’s your own. Empathy doesn’t mean carrying others’ emotions. That’s self-oriented empathy, and it leads to burnout. Think: ‘What are they feeling, and how can I help?’ You don’t need to feel it to fix it.”
Skeptical but willing, Renna tried it. When coworkers vented, she focused on hearing them out instead of absorbing their stress. She asked questions rather than jumping to solutions. Gradually, her energy returned.
Then she found “A Practical EmPath: Rewire Your Mind.” It wasn’t just theory – it challenged everything she knew about empathy with actionable strategies. She learned empathy isn’t just being nice – it’s a skill you can master.
The result? Her team felt truly supported by a leader who knew how to listen and act. Practical empathy changed everything.
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