Melissa Robinson-Winemiller, author, speaker, and trainer, stands out for her ability to fuse empathy with effective leadership strategy. With a career built on both practical experience and academic insight, she guides purpose-driven leaders through the challenges of scaling with integrity. Her approach centers on actionable steps to help leaders stay mission-focused while creating genuine connections and impactful results.
At the intersection of empathy and growth, Melissa Robinson-Winemiller redefines what modern leadership can achieve and offers innovative solutions. She empowers leaders to build resilient, values-driven businesses that are successful and truly meaningful to the people they serve. With over 30 years of experience and a unique ability to merge emotional intelligence with data-driven insights, Melissa has empowered countless leaders to grow purposefully and navigate the complexities of modern entrepreneurship. Her approach to leadership—anchored in empathy, authenticity, and strategic action—offers entrepreneurs and businesses the tools they need to build resilient, impactful businesses that thrive in a constantly evolving market.
Questions are written in bold by Lauren, Alter New Media
Purpose-driven entrepreneurs often face immense pressure to grow
quickly in today’s fast-paced business environment. How can they stay
true to their mission while navigating the demands of scaling and
maintaining empathy in leadership?
This is a fantastic question because it’s very real for many people. It’s a balancing
act for certain, but many entrepreneurs already understand how to keep many plates in
the air at one time, and this plate is an integral one that can affect all of the others.
In this case, I tell my clients that ‘charity starts at home’, and what I mean by this
is that they need to start with self-empathy. Entrepreneurs are under a lot of stress from
many directions and, in that, many forget to take care of their own needs first. That’s
why burnout is so prevalent and why there is such a high incidence of substance abuse
and self-sabotaging behavior. And when they forget how to show themselves empathy
and compassion, they also tend to forget how to show it to others. If a leader holds
empathy as a value that they’re willing to show themselves, it can then become part of
the greater mission and values, and isn’t just talk.
Plus, frankly, actions speak louder than words. If that leader is seen as placing
empathy and emotional intelligence first, then others will follow. It’s just part of
integrating the values of the leader into the system in a very tangible way.
You emphasize the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership.
What are some practical ways purpose-driven entrepreneurs can use EQ
to foster authentic connections with their teams, especially during times
of stress or uncertainty?
I really believe that the best way to use emotional intelligence (EQ) is to always
preface it with empathy. In that way, people make the human connection first, so they
know what’s really needed and can tap into emotional intelligence effectively. I really
believe this is the reason we’ve never been able to make EQ something that’s
integrated and permanent in organizations – we don’t know how to teach people to use
it effectively, so they use the EQ skills they think they should be using instead of the
ones they really need. It takes a little time and practice to learn, but it’s incredibly
effective.
This is especially true in times of stress and uncertainty because human behavior
becomes more volatile in these kinds of situations. If the human connection isn’t made
first through the use of empathy then many leaders make massive missteps in how they
use EQ. We saw this happen often during the pandemic, and the leadership was often
surprised at the responses they got. Harder yet, they may have good intentions, but are
missing the critical piece of human connection.
And, in all honesty, this is as simple as creating ‘know, like, & trust’ among
employees, which can be as easy as getting out and being seen. Every leader is busy
and no one has time to waste, but this doesn’t take long and can create dividends that
pay back tenfold. There are other strategies too, but this is an example of how simple it
can be to create empathy within a workforce with small, daily actions.
Many leaders need help to balance empathy with the need for firm
decision-making. How can a purpose-driven leader make tough calls
without compromising the empathetic culture they strive to build?
The thing to remember is that having empathy doesn’t mean not having
boundaries, especially in business. Tough decisions need to be made. However, they
can be made in a way that still leaves room for dignity and empathy, even if they’re not
optimal for both sides. At it’s heart, empathy is a way of connecting and understanding
how other people feel and think, but that doesn’t mean it’s soft or weak in any way.
For example, I recently had a client who had to let someone go. This person was
a mother, but she had also been making questionable decisions (like coming to work
altered) that were creating risk for the company. When my client talked to her she was
outraged at first, but he explained why, and that we couldn’t have her putting patients
and colleagues at risk with her behavior. He wanted to make sure she understood so
that she could do better, and counseled her on options for possible treatments. His
empathy wasn’t just for his employee, it was also for the patients and staff that were put
at risk by her behavior and, even though he felt for her, he made the tough decision to
keep everyone out of a risky situation. Leadership isn’t easy, but it can be done in ways
that are humane, even when difficult.
You have a unique blend of expertise in both data analytics and empathy.
How can purpose-driven leaders balance being data-driven while
ensuring their decisions align with their core values and mission?
Ah, this is a question that’s near and dear to my heart! There’s nothing wrong with
being data-driven, as long as leaders understand that the data is only a metric, meaning
something being measured, and a measurement is only as good as the people using it.
A great deal of data is taken as being infallible, but that’s never the case. It’s always
influenced by how it’s taken, who’s taking it, how it’s cleaned, and who’s looking at it.
People like numbers and graphs because it seems like they’re unbiased and absolutely
true, but nothing is further from reality.
If people want the data to align with their core mission and values, then they first
need to be certain they’re asking for the right data. Many times we measure what is
easiest rather than measuring the thing that will give us the correct data. We have to
know what it is we’re looking for before we can accurately measure it.
The second thing is to be certain the data is being used as a tool and not as a weapon. If leaders use
data as a means for unempathic behavior, that’s not the fault of the data. Rather, that
data could be used to correct behavior and create better cohesion rather than to make
people uncomfortable or unnecessarily driven. I have a friend who says that data
should be a “tool for their hands, and not a rod to their backs”, and I think that sums up
how data and empathy can be blended to work together. In the end, data’s just a tool,
and like any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it.
Your work focuses on empathy and the emotional intelligence quotient.
How can entrepreneurs incorporate these values into their customer
experience to build lasting, trust-based relationships with their audience?
I’ve found that when a leader has empathy and EQ as a part of who they are both
naturally become part of their mission and values which, in turn, becomes part of the
customer relationship. These things really do trickle down from the top, even when
people don’t realize it.
And, honestly, empathy should be the first step in any customer relationship just
as it’s a critical component of any relationship. If empathy is, at it’s base, a way of
connecting and relating to people, it would be critical to have empathy just to
understand your customer base. And that doesn’t mean in a soft and fluffy way but
rather as a way for us to understand each other, which includes customer needs.
Business gets done in the business-to-customer relationship. A business can do that
best and turn the biggest profit by understanding the customer, and empathy is a
powerful way to do that.
Purpose-driven leadership is a powerful force for change but can also be
exhausting for the entrepreneur. What advice do you have for leaders
passionate about their mission but struggling with burnout?
Burnout is certainly real, and it brings me back to starting with self-empathy. It’s
an often used cliché, but it’s like how airplanes tell people to put their own mask on
before helping others. If you can’t help yourself first, you can’t help anyone else, and
it’s the same in business. If an entrepreneur burns out because of a lack of self-
empathy and self-compassion, then they lose the opportunity to bring their business into
the world. It may seem selfish, but it’s absolutely necessary for a greater, long-range
purpose. Business is a marathon and not a sprint, which means taking care of yourself
to be able to cross a finish line that’s a long way off.
In a world where many companies are “purpose-washing,” how can
purpose-driven entrepreneurs genuinely communicate their values to
customers and stakeholders without coming across as inauthentic?
I believe it really is as simple as talking the talk while walking the walk. When
people are inauthentic others can tell, and much of that happens when words and
actions don’t match. And, especially in this era of social media, Reddit and Quora, and
rapid information, people can find out the truth quickly. It’s not just a matter of
communicating values verbally, but really living those values in both the big and small
actions. If those at the top do that, then others see and understand what the real
values, and not just the spoken values, are.
For instance, I’ve worked with an organization that made a big deal about being a
family, and when Covid happened all of the top leadership took pay cuts to be sure they
didn’t have to let anyone go. They went beyond just saying what they stood for. They
took action that was congruent with what they were saying. In the end, it’s the small
actions that lead up to a bigger perception, and a tone that can only be set by those in
the top spots. Consumers are savvier now more than ever and can smell inauthenticity
in organizations.
For leaders who want to drive social impact and profitability, what steps
can they take to ensure their company stays aligned with its purpose
while achieving sustainable growth?
The thing that I’ve seen trip up organizations that want to make both profit and
social impact is to allow the small decisions to become unaligned with their purpose.
There’s always a point where a leader will have to decide between purpose and profit
and, honestly, if they choose profit over purpose once, it’s easier to do it again. On the
other hand, if they believe in their purpose and that’s the priority, then profit becomes
the by-product of a purpose-driven enterprise.
The other main word here is ‘sustainable’. If a purpose-driven company grows too
fast to be sustained by the profit coming in, then it’s not sustainable, and there will be
that time that leaders will be torn between profit and purpose. In a sense, it’s sort of like
the question on burnout. If a purpose-driven organization burns itself out by growing too
fast, then it’s lost the opportunity to bring its light to the world. It needs to take care of
itself first, and that means staying true to its primary purpose and not letting a desire for
growth overtake smart purpose-driven decisions.
You’ve worked with many different leaders and entrepreneurs. What is
the most common mistake purpose-driven entrepreneurs make when
trying to scale their business, and how can they avoid it?
One major mistake I see is leaders being unable to think as a bigger organization,
despite their desire to be one. They become very comfortable with the metrics, the
actions, and the mindset of a smaller business and, when it comes time to scale up, are
unable to think like a bigger enterprise. In essence, it’s like wearing clothes that are too
small and constrict growth, but yet being unwilling to move to a larger size.
One example of this is data use. The data that serves a smaller organization well
isn’t going to give the same information to a larger one. Different ways to collecting,
disseminating, and understanding data is necessary, usually on a longer timeline. It
requires leadership to think about what their data needs really are however, and not to
stick with the same metrics just because they’re comfortable.
The other mistake I see is an inability of purpose-driven entrepreneurs to give up
some of the control as an organization grows, even though they’re unable to be as
involved as they were at a smaller level. This goes beyond delegation and includes a trust that people will be as careful with their creation as they were. This is especially
true in purpose-driven organizations because there’s a heart element to the business.
However, they need to trust that if they’ve set the right tone for values and mission and
put the right people in place, that they can be trusted to carry the torch and allow the
business to grow. I suppose, in a way, it’s like trusting children to go out on their own.
You give them the right tools and set the values in deep, and then trust them to do the
right things because you can’t (and shouldn’t) micromanage them for the rest of their
lives. They’ve become too big.
In your experience, what is the role of empathy in building a resilient,
purpose-driven brand that can adapt to challenges and thrive in a
constantly changing marketplace?
In a way, empathy is at the core of change, because if someone is feeling empathy
within the business/customer relationship, then they are tapped in to changes in
customer ‘temperature’. And, if someone is paying attention in that manner, resilience
and adaptation are easier because you already have an inkling of what’s coming.
Interestingly, empathy can work in larger groups as well as on a person-to-person basis,
so it’s perfect in understanding a constantly-changing marketplace.
And on a competitive level, an organization that’s able to move in tandem with
customers in this way has a huge edge on those that don’t. It can almost seem like
magic, or mind-reading, but the truth is that it’s simply being aware. Sometimes that
awareness through empathy is on an emotional level, but sometimes not. It’s just a
matter of how you use it.
There’s so much more to empathy than most people realize, and it’s actually the
perfect tool for any person-to-person understanding, even in larger groups. There’s
actually 43 different kinds of empathy, and the one where ‘I’m feeling what you’re
feeling’ is only one.
We can use empathy to attach to emotional intelligence on a much
broader scale than people realize, and use it in ways for the betterment of everyone
while achieving greater profit, productivity, and innovation. Despite its reputation, it’s
anything but soft and weak, and the thing that businesses of any size that want to be
competitive during this time of great change need more than ever.
At the intersection of empathy and growth, Melissa Robinson-Winemiller redefines what modern leadership can achieve. She empowers leaders to build resilient, values-driven businesses that aren’t just successful but truly meaningful to the people they serve. Preorder Melissa’s book here. View Melissa’s YouTube and contact Melissa. Book an appointment here
