Empathy: The Underrated
Superpower

The piece opens by challenging conventional leadership wisdom. Rather than focusing on vision or strategic acumen, Hodgson argues that "Empathy" represents an underutilized capacity that strengthens all other leadership competencies.

Three Core Types of Empathy

1. Cognitive Empathy – The capacity to comprehend how colleagues think. This intellectual dimension enables leaders to foresee team reactions and navigate complexity strategically.

2. Emotional Empathy – Moving beyond intellectual understanding to genuinely experiencing others' feelings, fostering psychological safety and authentic connection.

3. Compassionate Empathy – Where understanding and feeling translate into active support, driving organizational transformation.

Strategic Benefits Outlined

• - Enhanced decision-making through diverse perspectives
• Teams built on trust and psychological safety
• Innovation flourishes when contributors feel secure
• Leadership presence becomes more authentic

The author concludes by positioning empathy as strategically essential, not merely "soft." She emphasizes that "human connection" remains irreplaceable in an era dominated by automation and data analytics, positioning emotional intelligence as a competitive advantage for contemporary leaders.