Empathy Matters Most When Things Go Wrong with Kevin Riley

Empathy Matters Most When Things Go Wrong with Kevin Riley

There’s a quiet shift that happens when the work stops being about people—and starts being about attention. Kevin Riley has spent a lifetime noticing that shift, and what it costs. In this conversation, Scott creates space for Kevin to reflect on what journalism used to hold, and what it’s slowly losing. Through decades in newsrooms, Kevin brings a grounded view of empathy—not as a soft idea, but as something that shapes trust, decisions, and the way we show up for one another in our work. Kevin speaks from lived experience inside high-pressure environments where speed often wins. But he keeps returning to a simpler question: who are we really serving? Kevin Riley brings a lifetime inside American newsrooms, shaped by moments where decisions carried real human weight. His perspective is rooted in experience—leading people, navigating mistakes, and staying close to the impact of the work. You’ll Hear * Why the best organizations behave like a good friend * How speed and competition can quietly erode empathy * The leadership choice that stayed with someone for years * What it means to trust people, especially when they get it wrong Leaders trying to hold onto humanity while navigating pressure, pace, and responsibility. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who leads with heart — or is learning how to.

Empathy is the Polar Opposite of Greed with Patrick Davis

Sometimes success comes with a cost you can’t ignore. And sometimes the hardest shift is not in your work—but in how you see yourself. In this conversation, Scott sits with Patrick Davis to explore what happens when performance stops feeling like purpose. Patrick reflects on a career built on pressure, fear, and results—and the quiet, difficult work of choosing a different way to lead. Together, they move beyond the idea of empathy as a concept, and into what it asks of us in real decisions, real relationships, and real workplaces. Patrick brings a perspective shaped by both success and reckoning. His voice is grounded in lived experience—learning, unlearning, and choosing to lead people with care, even when it would be easier not to. You’ll hear: * Why empathy begins with how we treat ourselves—not others * The difference between intention and impact in leadership * How fear and shame can quietly shape workplace culture * What changes when curiosity replaces control For leaders who are achieving on the outside, but questioning what it’s costing them—and others—on the inside. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who leads with heart — or is learning how to.

Professional Success is an Inside Job with Danielle Berg

Sometimes it takes a pause we didn’t choose to see what we’ve been missing all along. In this conversation, Scott sits with Danielle Berg to explore what happens when success stops being about output and starts becoming about wholeness. Danielle brings a deeply personal lens to empathy, leadership, and workplace culture—one shaped by lived experience, hard-earned self-awareness, and a willingness to change how she leads. Danielle is someone who has lived the pressure of high performance and the cost that can come with it. What she offers now is a different way forward—one rooted in trust, curiosity, and the kind of leadership that begins from within. You’ll hear: * Why empathy starts with seeing the person, not the role * How curiosity can unlock better thinking than control ever could * The quiet ways limiting beliefs shape culture—and how to rewrite them * What it means to build a “well workplace,” not just a wellness program Leaders who feel the weight of performance and are ready to lead in a way that sustains both people and results. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who leads with heart — or is learning how to.

Other People’s Emotions are Valuable Data for Leaders with Dr. Ackley

Most people think empathy means agreeing with someone. But often, it simply means understanding what they’re feeling — and why. Scott Annan sits down with psychologist Dr. Dana Ackley for a grounded conversation about what empathy actually is — and what it isn’t. Drawing on decades at the intersection of psychology and leadership, Dana explores how emotional intelligence shapes the way leaders listen, make decisions, navigate conflict, and build trust. The discussion moves from brain science to everyday leadership moments, showing how empathy can transform not only workplace culture, but the way we relate to people across differences. Dr. Dana Ackley is a psychologist who has spent more than five decades helping people understand themselves and each other. Through his work with leaders and organizations, he focuses on the practical skills of emotional intelligence — and how empathy can turn human connection into a real advantage. You’ll Hear * Why empathy is understanding someone — not agreeing with them * How other people’s emotions function as data for better leadership decisions * The balance between empathy and assertiveness in creating true win-win outcomes * How “conflict entrepreneurs” manipulate emotions — and why empathy helps us see through it Leaders who want to build stronger relationships, navigate disagreement with clarity, and lead people with empathy without losing their voice. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who leads with heart — or is learning how to.

A Brand Is Something You Feel with Alex Abelin

Some businesses begin with a pitch deck. This one began with two parents trying to feed their child — and sitting inside the fear of not knowing how. Scott creates space for a conversation about empathy as something lived, not branded. Alex shares how personal need, grief, care, and love shaped not just a product, but the way he leads people, builds trust, and makes decisions when the stakes feel real. Alex Abelin is a founder, a partner, and a father who builds from lived experience. His voice carries the perspective of someone who has felt vulnerability firsthand — and let it guide how he shows up in business, family, and leadership. * How a moment of parental fear became the foundation for a company * Why empathy starts with listening — not convincing * What leading with heart looks like when pressure and uncertainty rise * How care, presence, and long-term thinking shape workplace culture * Why inclusion matters more than being “right” For leaders, founders, and parents who want to build something meaningful without leaving their humanity behind. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who leads with heart — or is learning how to.