97. Developing Relentless Empathy to Navigate Team Challenges

97. Developing Relentless Empathy to Navigate Team Challenges

What if the greatest skill for navigating team conflict isn't better communication—it's relentless empathy? In this episode, Dr. Lola Gershfeld and Polina explore why empathy is one of the most important skills leaders, managers, HR professionals, and L&D practitioners can develop to create emotionally safe, high-performing teams. When team members become frustrated, defensive, or withdrawn, it's easy to react to their behavior. But what if that behavior is simply a signal that they're struggling? You'll learn why empathy isn't just a personality trait—it's a skill that can be developed. Like any muscle, empathy grows stronger with intentional practice. Dr. Lola and Polina explain how emotional triggers block our ability to empathize, why curiosity is the first step toward emotional regulation, and how the EmC Process helps leaders respond with greater clarity, connection, and confidence during difficult conversations.  In this episode, you'll learn: *  Why empathy is different from sympathy  *  How emotional triggers prevent us from responding effectively  *  Why empathy is an emotional muscle that can be strengthened  *  How curiosity helps you recognize your own emotional reactions before they escalate  *  Practical ways to build emotional awareness and self-regulation  *  How the EmC Process helps organize emotions so you can respond instead of react  *  Why repairing relationships strengthens both the individual and the team  *  How leaders create emotionally safe teams through consistent empathy  Whether you're leading a team, facilitating training, coaching leaders, or simply looking to strengthen workplace relationships, this episode will give you practical tools to help your team navigate challenges with greater trust, resilience, and emotional connection. 🎧 Listen now and discover how developing relentless empathy can transform the way your team handles conflict, builds trust, and works together. The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where teams can thrive. Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.  CONNECT: EmC Leaders [https://emcleaders.com/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/emcleaders/ ] Twitter [https://twitter.com/emcleaders ] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/emcleaders/] YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvRm8PIdTj2rPHr3w1iDsg] RESOURCES: TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT [https://emcleaders.com/tesa] RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS [https://emcleaders.com/resources] CONFLICT RESOLUTION MASTER PROGRAM [https://emcleaders.com/crp] CONTACT US [https://emcleaders.com/contact-us] Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld: LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolagershfeld/] Instagram: @drlolaemc [https://www.instagram.com/drlolaemc/] Connect with Polina Marian: LinkedIn: Polina Marian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/polinamarian/] Instagram: @livewithfivekids Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team dynamics, and wo...

96. The Top Onboarding Training Gap: Teaching New Hires How to Navigate Team Conflict

Most onboarding programs teach new employees how to do the job. Few teach them how to navigate the relationships. In this episode of The Leader in You Podcast, Dr. Lola and Polina discuss one of the most overlooked gaps in employee onboarding: preparing new hires to recognize, navigate, and address team conflict before they become part of it. When employees join a new team, they don't enter a blank slate. They inherit existing communication patterns, team dynamics, unresolved tensions, and relationship injuries that may have developed over months or even years. Without the right tools, new hires can quickly get pulled into negative cycles, workplace drama, and ineffective communication. Through a powerful real-world example of a newly hired CEO who became overwhelmed by team complaints within his first weeks on the job, Lola and Polina explore how organizations can transform onboarding into an opportunity to create emotional safety, strengthen relationships, and build healthier team cultures from day one. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why traditional onboarding often overlooks relationship dynamics • How unresolved team conflict impacts new employees • The role managers and trainers play in creating emotional safety • How the EmC Process helps employees recognize and navigate disconnection • Why new hires are often uniquely positioned to help teams reconnect • How teaching relationship skills early improves engagement, retention, collaboration, and culture People don't become part of a culture by learning the rules. They become part of a culture by learning how to connect. Listen in to discover how onboarding can become one of the most powerful tools for preventing conflict and building emotionally connected teams. The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where teams can thrive. Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.  CONNECT: EmC Leaders [https://emcleaders.com/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/emcleaders/ ] Twitter [https://twitter.com/emcleaders ] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/emcleaders/] YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvRm8PIdTj2rPHr3w1iDsg] RESOURCES: TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT [https://emcleaders.com/tesa] RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS [https://emcleaders.com/resources] CONFLICT RESOLUTION MASTER PROGRAM [https://emcleaders.com/crp] CONTACT US [https://emcleaders.com/contact-us] Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld: LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolagershfeld/] Instagram: @drlolaemc [https://www.instagram.com/drlolaemc/] Connect with Polina Marian: LinkedIn: Polina Marian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/polinamarian/] Instagram: @livewithfivekids Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team dynamics, and wo...

95. Why You Hate Making Decisions at Work - The VERSE Model

At the ATD Conference, we noticed a common theme: many leaders and learning professionals were excited about innovation and AI, yet hesitant when it came to navigating emotions, vulnerability, and human connection in the workplace. That tension inspired this conversation on emotional ambivalence—the experience of feeling pulled in two directions at the same time.  In this episode, Lola and Polina explore why people often struggle to make decisions, speak up, take risks, or embrace change. Together, they unpack the fears that drive emotional ambivalence, including the fear of making the wrong choice, being judged, appearing incompetent, experiencing rejection, or exposing vulnerability.  You’ll learn: *  What emotional ambivalence is and why it shows up in leadership, teamwork, and everyday life  *  How psychological safety and secure relationships influence confidence and decision-making  *  Why vulnerability is often the pathway to growth rather than a sign of weakness  *  How shame, fear, and disconnection keep people stuck  *  Why suppressing difficult emotions also limits positive emotions, engagement, and connection  *  A practical framework called VERSE for helping leaders and teams navigate emotional uncertainty with greater clarity and confidence  Whether you're a leader, manager, coach, HR professional, or simply someone facing a difficult decision, this episode offers a powerful perspective on how emotional safety helps people move from fear and hesitation to confidence, connection, and action. Because sometimes the problem isn't that we don't know what to do—it’s that we don’t feel safe enough to do it. The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where teams can thrive. Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.  CONNECT: EmC Leaders [https://emcleaders.com/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/emcleaders/ ] Twitter [https://twitter.com/emcleaders ] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/emcleaders/] YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvRm8PIdTj2rPHr3w1iDsg] RESOURCES: TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT [https://emcleaders.com/tesa] RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS [https://emcleaders.com/resources] CONFLICT RESOLUTION MASTER PROGRAM [https://emcleaders.com/crp] CONTACT US [https://emcleaders.com/contact-us] Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld: LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolagershfeld/] Instagram: @drlolaemc [https://www.instagram.com/drlolaemc/] Connect with Polina Marian: LinkedIn: Polina Marian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/polinamarian/] Instagram: @livewithfivekids Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team dynamics, and wo...

94. AI Was Everywhere at ATD… But This Is What Stood Out

After returning from the ATD Conference, one thing kept staying with us. Yes, AI was everywhere. It was in sessions, at booths, and woven into conversations about the future of work. But what stood out most wasn't technology at all. It was people. In this episode of The Leader in You, Dr. Lola Gershfeld reconnects with Niamh Hannan and Aoife O'Brien to reflect on their experience after ATD and discuss what they discovered beneath the surface of all the AI conversations. Together, they explore: * Why attendees felt relieved to talk about emotions, relationships, and human connection *  The passion that drives L&D professionals to keep showing up and helping others grow *  Why workplace conflict often has less to do with the issue itself and more to do with emotional triggers *  How negative cycles quietly shape our teams and relationships *  Why connection doesn't happen automatically—it must be intentionally prioritized *  What organizations risk losing if technology replaces human touchpoints If the future of work is changing, one important question remains: How do we make sure we don't lose the relationships that help people thrive? Join us for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, emotional safety, learning and development, and what truly stood out after ATD. Connect with us on LinkedIn Niamh Hannan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamhhannan/]  Aoife O'Brien [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/] The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where teams can thrive. Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.  CONNECT: EmC Leaders [https://emcleaders.com/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/emcleaders/ ] Twitter [https://twitter.com/emcleaders ] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/emcleaders/] YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvRm8PIdTj2rPHr3w1iDsg] RESOURCES: TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT [https://emcleaders.com/tesa] RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS [https://emcleaders.com/resources] CONFLICT RESOLUTION MASTER PROGRAM [https://emcleaders.com/crp] CONTACT US [https://emcleaders.com/contact-us] Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld: LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolagershfeld/] Instagram: @drlolaemc [https://www.instagram.com/drlolaemc/] Connect with Polina Marian: LinkedIn: Polina Marian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/polinamarian/] Instagram: @livewithfivekids Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team dynamics, and wo...

93. Live from ATD: Thriving Talent in the Age of AI with Aoife O'Brien

In this special live episode from the ATD Conference in Los Angeles, Dr. Lola Gershfeld welcomes returning guest Aoife O'Brien, author of Thriving Talent and host of the Happier at Work Podcast, for a thought-provoking conversation about one of the biggest questions leaders face today: As AI becomes more integrated into the workplace, what happens to the human connections that help people feel safe, valued, and able to thrive? Drawing from her U.S. book tour and conversations with leaders across organizations, Aoife shares insights on what organizations may gain through technology—and what they risk losing if human relationships are replaced by efficiency alone. Together, Lola and Aoife explore: • Why AI can support our work but cannot replace human connection • The small moments and "bids for connection" that strengthen workplace relationships • Why people may feel increasingly disconnected and lonely at work • The difference between psychological safety and emotional safety • Why feedback can feel threatening when relationships feel insecure • How fixed and growth mindsets influence our ability to learn and change • Why people and teams do not have to stay stuck This conversation reminds us that thriving at work is about more than performance, productivity, and technology. People grow, learn, and do their best work when they feel emotionally safe, supported, and connected. Because thriving talent isn't created by AI alone—it is created through human relationships. Connect with Aoife O'Brien: • Aoife O'Brien on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] • Thriving Talent • Happier at Work Podcast [https://happieratwork.ie/] The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where teams can thrive. Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.  CONNECT: EmC Leaders [https://emcleaders.com/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/emcleaders/ ] Twitter [https://twitter.com/emcleaders ] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/emcleaders/] YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvRm8PIdTj2rPHr3w1iDsg] RESOURCES: TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT [https://emcleaders.com/tesa] RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS [https://emcleaders.com/resources] CONFLICT RESOLUTION MASTER PROGRAM [https://emcleaders.com/crp] CONTACT US [https://emcleaders.com/contact-us] Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld: LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolagershfeld/] Instagram: @drlolaemc [https://www.instagram.com/drlolaemc/] Connect with Polina Marian: LinkedIn: Polina Marian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/polinamarian/] Instagram: @livewithfivekids Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team dynamics, and wo...