The Role of Empathy in Strategic Thinking: Women Leaders Championing Change and Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders

Women leaders are often credited with demonstrating empathy, nurture, and compassion during a crisis (Vongas & Al Hajj, 2015). Empathy is considered an added value that women leaders offer the workplace; however, it is worth exploring their strategic abilities. Strategy is a skill historically linked to masculinity (Laurie, 2015). A more inclusive understanding of both leadership practices for women is necessary. Strategic thinking and empathy are essential in stabilizing and creating future opportunities during an economic crisis (Beilstein et al., 2021; Khaund, 2023; Yorke, 2023). I provided a phenomenological analysis to gain insight into how women leaders engage both skills, develop future leaders, and practice resiliency through change. An exploration linking empathetic leadership and strategic thinking prompts leaders to reimagine the evolving marketplace needs and address ongoing organizational issues. The study was guided by the following research questions: (a) how do empathy and strategic thinking present in women leaders’ abilities to manage crisis, and (b) how do empathy and strategic thinking present in women leaders 'ability to develop emerging leaders? An interpretative phenomenological analysis study was framed in social capital theory (SCT), and cognitive and affective empathy was used to interview 10 women leading in different industries. Women leaders shared their experiences, highlighting advocacy, accountability, decisiveness, creativity, commitment, and community, resulting in the creation of a leadership development model.