S5 Ep96: Heart-First Leadership: Why Empathy Matters for Team Performance and Retention

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Brennan returns to the podcast to talk about heart-first leadership and what empathy looks like in action in higher education workplaces. Inspired by his article, “How To Be the Leader Everyone Actually Wants To Work For,” he shares several ways leaders can support overwhelmed teams and build psychological safety on campus. The conversation introduces the LASER method as a framework for listening to, acknowledging, and following up on concerns, offering higher ed professionals realistic strategies for improving morale, retention, and day-to-day team culture.