Leading with Empathy: Building Teams That Thrive

On the fifth stop of the Advisory Amplified tour in Atlanta, Blake sits down with Lisa Gilreath of Acuity and Valerie Heckman of OnPay to discuss what empathetic leadership actually looks like in an industry notorious for long hours and tight deadlines. The conversation covers everything from recognizing when team members are struggling to handling toxic high performers, with real talk about building slack into capacity planning and why unused PTO is a red flag. Lisa and Valerie share concrete steps for creating a culture where people feel supported enough to lean in when it matters most.

Chapters

• (01:17) - Defining Empathy in Accounting
• (02:24) - Implementing Processes to Reduce Stress
• (03:26) - Balancing Workloads and Mental Health
• (10:15) - Client Relationships and Empathy
• (16:42) - Adapting to Change and Hiring for the Future
• (19:07) - Using Data to Spot Problems Early
• (24:35) - Handling Toxic High Performers
• (26:22) - Practical Tips for Leading with Empathy
• (30:55) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Connect with Our Guests:

Valerie Heckman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieheckman/

Learn more about OnPay

Official website: https://onpay.com

Lisa Gilreath

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-gilreath-2ba506a/

Learn more about Sorren

Official website: https://sorren.com/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/