The Hardest Thing I Had to Unlearn as a Leader

Jim Robinson opens up about the hardest lesson he ever had to unlearn as a leader: trading control for leading with empathy.In this episode of Visionary Leader, Jim sits down with co-host Lori Prust to unpack how his leadership style shifted from "driven and direct" to intentional, empathetic, and inspirational — and why that shift changed everything from employee retention to his own marriage. They also celebrate Leading with Empathy hitting #1 on Amazon's bestseller list.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 – Introduction0:47 – Jim's early leadership style: "Be, Do, Have"1:39 – Learning to lead instead of just doing2:24 – Leading with Empathy hits #1 on Amazon3:21 – Discovering an inspirational leadership style5:20 – Why tenured employees stay for decades6:19 – Learning empathy through hardship and homelessness9:43 – Being direct without being demeaning11:09 – Reframing "triggers" — whose responsibility are they?13:23 – What good leadership looks like if you don't feel like "the leader"16:07 – Self-awareness, obligation, and a wake-up call from his wife Christy 21:51 – Signals your leadership is failing — and asking permission to lead24:45 – The Condoleezza Rice story27:04 – Advice for leading in a toxic culture32:00 – Key takeaway: give freely, lead with trust📌 RESOURCESLeading with Empathy (book by Jim Robinson): https://a.co/d/0bD1SpOP-------💡 ABOUT VISIONARY LEADERLeadership insights for executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to lead with real influence. Not just authority.Jim Robinson is an executive coach, leadership speaker, and author of Leading with Empathy. Every week, Jim & Lori Prust shares practical frameworks and honest conversations on visionary leadership, emotional intelligence, building high-performance teams, and the psychology of leadership.Work with Jim: https://www.visionaryleader.com/Leading with Empathy (book): https://a.co/d/0bD1SpOPConnect with Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-robinson-18211918/Connect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-prust-309898195/