Someone once told a nurse she was “too emotional” for leadership.
She had the clinical skills, the experience, and the kind of sixth-sense intuition that made patients relax just by being in the room. Her team trusted her. Her outcomes were stellar. But because she “felt too much,” her promotion got stalled.
Until, finally, someone gave her the chance. Patient complaints plummeted. Staff morale spiked. And in moments of pure workplace madness? She was the one people went to.
“She was able to anticipate patient concerns before they escalated,” says career strategist Miriam Groom. “She read her team’s energy before anyone said a word. That was empathy in motion.”
That kind of attunement is often neurodivergent in nature.
Especially in people with ADHD, autism, or AuDHD, empathy can show up as this deep, layered way of sensing: tracking micro-shifts in mood, intuiting dynamics, and picking up on the tension between the words.
But in corporate cultures where feelings are treated like liabilities and productivity is worshipped, that kind of emotional intelligence often gets dismissed, pathologized, or straight-up ignored.
What Does Being Empathetic Mean?
People love to say empathy is “just being nice.” In reality, empathy is the sharpest, most slept-on strategy in your professional toolkit.
Studies have shown that empathy links directly to higher emotional intelligence (EQ). It also translates to better leadership, smoother conflict resolution, and more loyal teams. And for those of us with neurodivergent traits, empathy is often built into our neurological wiring.
“I’ve worked with leaders who were perfect on paper,” says Miriam. “Their numbers were great, but their teams were silently falling apart. Meanwhile, the empathetic managers could sense when something was off before it turned into a resignation letter. They paid attention to tone, timing, body language, clues hidden in Slack messages. Ultimately, their teams stayed longer.”
And research echoes this. Teams with empathy-led leadership report higher engagement, stronger loyalty, and fewer interpersonal meltdowns. Translation: People stay where they feel seen.
That’s huge for highly empathetic, neurodivergent professionals who already possess this trait. But too often, it goes unrecognized or misunderstood in systems built to reward only extroversion, stoicism, or brute efficiency.
Flipsides Of Being Empathetic
Without proper boundaries in place, empathy can be a double-edged sword.
Another one of Miriam’s clients — this time in sales — is sharp, competent, and emotionally tuned in.
Her biggest strength? Understanding her clients deeply.
Her biggest struggle? Working for a company that didn’t care as much as she did.
“She felt physically sick every time she was told to push something people didn’t need,” Miriam says. “Her empathy became a liability.”
This is what happens in workplaces where feelings are seen as a distraction instead of an asset — when your ability to sense emotional dissonance is punished, not praised.
Unfiltered empathy can also be draining. Empathy without boundaries becomes compassion fatigue, resentment, and burnout.
You find the sweet spot when you use empathy as both connection and strategy — listen deeply, then act on what you learn. And when communicating this strength to employers, frame it in terms of business results: “My ability to understand people helps reduce conflict, improve retention, and build stronger teams.”
A Rare Skill
Empathy might feel natural to you, but it’s not exactly common in the average workplace.
According to the 2024 State of Workplace Empathy report, 63% of CEOs and 42% of employees say they struggle to show empathy at work. The reasons? “I’m too busy.” “It’s not supported by leadership.” “People might see me as weak.” “I don’t know how.” Yikes.
Even worse, 37% of CEOs say empathy has no place at work. Imagine leading a team of (often emotional) humans and deciding feelings are off-brand.
All of this means if you’re someone who leads with empathy — and you can do it sustainably — you have a rare skill that’s highly valued in the right workplaces. It’s especially prized in people-centered roles such as human resources, leadership, healthcare, coaching, and education, Miriam says.
So when you talk about this skill — on your resume, in an interview, or with a manager who doesn’t quite get it — connect it to impact. Say things like: “I reduce conflict.” “I spot team burnout before it happens.” “I help people stay.”
Your empathy is your edge.
And while a majority of people are too rushed or too disconnected to feel anything real, your ability to care deeply and act is nothing short of a valued commodity.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *