Ep. 17 The Emotional Toll of Leadership: Boundaries, Empathy & Team Dynamics with Jenny Bramble

Explore the emotional complexities of leadership in this episode of Leadership in Real Life. Erika Taylor-Beck talks with Jenny Bramble, VP at Zen Healthcare IT, about managing team dynamics, balancing empathy with authority, and debunking the myth of workplace family.Learn how to set healthy boundaries, lead with integrity, and find support in your leadership journey.Sound Bites"You can't stop being the director.""I'm not your therapist.""Put that in your attagirl file."TakeawaysLeadership requires emotional energy and maturity.Empathetic leadership is more challenging than command and control.A manager's emotional state affects team performance.Titles carry weight and influence team dynamics.Friendships can complicate professional relationships.Workplace family is a myth - find what's "appropriate"Empathy must be balanced with boundaries.Managers are not therapists; set limits on emotional labor.Navigating religion and personal topics can be challengingUtilize company resources for employee support.Document conversations to protect yourself and your team.What's a platypus shoulder? What sounds does a platypus make?Get in touch with Jenny: LinkedIn: /https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybramble/TSQA: https://tsqa.orgBluesky: @jennydoesthings.bsky.socialleadership, emotional intelligence, management, workplace dynamics, empathetic leadership, boundaries, professional relationships, workplace culture, employee support, ethics