How to Talk About Empathy with Michael Ventura

If you’ve ever felt like empathy is a liability in today’s world — or questioned whether it still has a place in leadership, activism, or even daily life — this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, Krista sits down with Michael Ventura, author of Applied Empathy and founder of Sub Rosa, to explore how empathy, when practiced rigorously and responsibly, becomes a transformative tool for systems change, leadership, and personal clarity.

Michael has brought empathy training into spaces as varied as West Point, the United Nations, and Fortune 100 boardrooms. But this conversation goes far beyond titles — it’s a deep dive into how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the world around us when we learn to see without projecting and listen without absorbing.

Together, Krista and Michael unpack:

• Why empathy is a powerful leadership tool — not a soft skill

• How to practice empathy without taking on others’ emotions

• The dangers of projection (and how to stop doing it)

• Why cognitive empathy is being weaponized — and what to do about it

• What it means to find your purpose not in one North Star, but in a personal constellation

This episode is an invitation to reclaim empathy — as a strength, as a responsibility, and as a way of creating more meaningful connection.

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