Strategy & Leadership
Empathetic leadership has proven to be highly effective at building a successful team dynamic and business. In fact, research shows that leading with empathy improves overall employee performance and decision making, reduces turnover and burnout, as well as enhances trust and communication. Read on to learn how leaders in and around Chattanooga are embracing an empathetic leadership style that focuses on their employees as whole people, not simply parts in the corporate machine.
“My strategy leads with empathy by treating employees as capable adults and whole people, not as resources to be tightly managed. Our organization operates on a ‘grown-up’ philosophy rooted in mutual respect, trust, and ownership. Rather than policing time off, lunch hours, or rigid KPIs, we focus on clear role ownership, work ethic, dedication, loyalty, culture fit, and results.
This approach allows empathy to be practical rather than performative. By removing unnecessary controls, I can respond to each employee’s individual needs, whether that means flexibility for working parents, adjusting schedules during challenging life moments, or trusting team members to manage their time responsibly. Employees are evaluated on outcomes and accountability, not hours logged or calls made.
Empathy influences leadership decisions by shifting the question from ‘Are they following rules?’ to ‘Are they set up to succeed?’ That shift has a direct impact on employee well-being and engagement. When people feel trusted and respected, they take greater ownership of their work and are more invested in the organization’s success.
Culturally, this creates a high-trust, low-friction environment where people show up motivated, aligned, and loyal because they are treated like adults who matter.”
“As a business owner, I believe empathy isn’t a soft skill, it’s a strategic one. At BrightView Capital, we don’t view people simply as employees filling roles; we see them as whole people with families, responsibilities, ambitions, and seasons of life that matter. Everyone has a unique story, unique talents, and a voice that is worth listening to. When leaders genuinely live that out, everybody wins.
Empathy influences how we structure our workplace, how we communicate, and how we measure success. When our team members are able to prioritize care for themselves and those they love, they show up more present, engaged, and energized in their work.
Our team is built on trust, appreciation, and mutual respect. We work hard to remove unnecessary anxiety – from workloads to expectations – so our team can enjoy the meaningful work we do. That same philosophy drives how we serve clients: Simplifying complex financial decisions so they can live with confidence and focus on enjoying the life they have built with the ones they love.
A culture rooted in empathy creates loyalty, collaboration, and purpose. When people feel valued as humans first, they don’t just work harder, they thrive.”
“Every day, I approach my work with the goal of serving others well. That begins with Lee University employees. Our staff works to serve our students with care and excellence, so it is part of my mission to create a community where they feel valued and appreciated. At Lee, our Christian foundation informs a simple commitment: every person has God-given worth, and leadership should be expressed with dignity, fairness, and genuine care. That belief shapes how I think about people, policies, and priorities.
Empathy changes leadership by requiring us to ask, ‘How will this decision affect those who carry it out?’ Practically, that means communicating with both clarity and kindness. We create a community where leaders listen well, plan thoughtfully, and collaborate with employees. We also reduce unnecessary strain by setting realistic expectations, prioritizing what matters most, and giving teams clarity about what is urgent.
When employees feel energized in their work, engagement deepens and our campus thrives. Over time, empathy strengthens the workplace by encouraging collaboration and community. The best version of our work together reflects our mission, and it provides students with an education focused on Christ-centered excellence.”
“As Chattanooga Market President, I practice the adage of ‘listen, learn, and lead.’ It’s the best way to empathize with our team members as well as our customers – especially during challenging times. At First Horizon, we emphasize the importance of team work. We design expectations around real life and build flexibility where roles allow, protecting time off and cross-covering various events and activities to help support them. We believe that when our associates are well cared for, they in turn will provide excellent service to mirror those actions.
First Horizon enjoys nothing more than a celebration of success, whether that means off-site team building, awards gatherings, or the frequent sharing of success stories. For us, one associate’s success belongs to all of us and is worth celebrating. We also take this to a personal level by supporting work-life balance with flexible arrangements wherever possible including paternity leave, adoption support, and short- and long-term disability. Empathy strengthens engagement and builds a culture of psychological safety and accountability.
We believe that our bank is only as strong as the communities we serve. Empathy fuels connection. It’s how we serve our associates, our clients and our city every single day.”
“When I took over Evans Lumber, it instantly brought back memories of the mergers and acquisitions I experienced in the past – part of a crew that got wiped out when new leadership rolled in. That wasn’t going to happen at Evans Lumber. Businesses aren’t just inventory and invoices, they’re people with mortgages, kids’ ballgames, and aging parents.
So, I focused on building up and strengthening our current team. I stay connected and engaged – walking the yard, listening first, observing before making changes. Now, when someone’s got something going on at home, we do our best to work with them. We support working parents with schedule flexibility, trade-offs on shifts, and clear communication, so nobody feels like they’re choosing between family and a paycheck.
Overall, we encourage resourcefulness and involve our key people in decisions that affect our team’s work. Delegating real responsibilities in this way allows my team members to succeed. When we hit goals or someone steps up, we acknowledge it. And not just with numbers, but with appreciation.
Empathy should shape every call that leaders make. It builds trust, strengthens engagement, and creates a culture where people look out for each other – the way a good team should. Businesses take care of their inventory and trucking equipment; at Evans our team is our greatest asset, and should be managed as such.”
(Above) Photo by Casey Yoshida for The Scout Guide Chattanooga Volume 13
“Leading with empathy and achieving an excellent workplace culture is not a destination, but rather a continuous and intentional quest to get to know each other. Dare I say, love each other. By ‘love,’ I mean a genuine desire for the good of others. We seek an environment of true belonging where each team member is seen, heard, known, needed, and valued. We consistently celebrate birthdays and other major life events, but we also lean into the pain that teammates may be experiencing and share that load as best we can. We reserve the fifth Monday of a month for team celebration. This time is set aside for gratitude, for celebrating significant achievements of team members and the practice, and sometimes it’s just to have fun. Weekly team meetings allow everyone time to share anything they think important, be it a new business learning, or it could be a more personal perspective. We seek to understand the goals of each team member, both professionally and personally, and look for ways to help them achieve their dreams. We seek to live out our core values of excellence, relationships, and collaboration.”
“I believe leadership starts with empathy, because people aren’t just employees, they’re parents, caregivers, students, and individuals carrying real responsibilities and real life outside of work. When we recognize the whole person, we build trust, loyalty, and a culture where people feel safe to show up fully.
Empathy influences my decisions every day, from how we set expectations to how we support our team through challenging seasons. We’ve learned that when leaders listen first and respond with care, employees feel valued, engagement rises, and burnout decreases. A healthy workplace culture isn’t built through policies alone; it’s built through consistency, compassion, and the willingness to lead with humanity.
At Journey Health Foundation, we prioritize flexibility whenever possible. We understand that working parents may need adjusted schedules, time for school events, or the ability to handle a sick child without fear of being penalized. We encourage work-life balance by respecting personal time, offering grace during stressful moments, and focusing on outcomes, not just hours.
Empathy doesn’t lower standards, it raises support. And when people feel supported, they thrive, serve better, and stay committed to the mission.”
“Everyone has a voice here. A few years ago, we invested in a team building coach who did personality assessments. It was interesting to get to know each other on that level. We can see our own strengths and weaknesses as well as our coworkers’. She set us up on a software program that gives us daily coaching tips. We often read them aloud or reference them to each other when they are relevant. It has been a good way to build connection.
We include our people in almost all decisions regarding hiring, process, and procedures. We trust our people to do the best possible job by being free to decide how that looks and works. Our installers make their own schedules based on efficiency and focus on quality of the job.
In the showroom, we voted on operating 9-4 without a full lunch break so that moms can do school drop offs and pickups. We allow our people to care for their families by being flexible with schedules. We operate the showroom on an appointment-based system so that we can focus on the quality of services we provide to our customers and our team members can have more control over the time management of their day. Our business has grown year after year, so we can see the rewards far out way the costs.”
“I am a strong supporter of the Family Initiative, because leading with empathy isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a responsibility. At our agency, we recognize that our people are whole human beings with families, commitments, and lives that matter deeply. Giving time for sick children, creating space to be present with loved ones, and supporting mental growth are not perks; they are priorities.
We also encourage our team members to attend their children’s school events – whether it’s a championship game, a recital, or a school play – without guilt or hesitation. Those moments are irreplaceable. When employees know they can show up for their families, their stress levels decrease, their well-being improves, and they feel valued as people rather than just workers.
That sense of respect and understanding fosters loyalty, trust, and engagement. In return, we cultivate a workplace culture where people genuinely want to belong.”
“Leading with empathy has always felt natural to us. We believe people do their best work when they feel valued, supported, and genuinely cared for. Our workplace culture is built on relationships, open conversation, and being present for one another. Daily shared lunch meals and regular informal time together allow us to listen, stay connected, and understand what our team members are navigating both personally and professionally.
Over the years, we have supported employees through life’s full range of experiences – celebrations, hardships, and transitions. We meet people where they are and invest in their growth, trusting that when individuals feel respected and supported, they bring greater commitment and care to their work.
That same mindset guides how we serve our clients at Choice Title Company and Jones Title Company. Real estate transactions are often unfamiliar and stressful. We approach each interaction with patience, clarity, and respect, understanding the trust our clients place in us. Empathy, for us, is about responsibility, integrity, and doing right by people.”
