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You may not think of empathy as a business tool—but it’s a powerful one that can have great impact on business development, according to TechStars CEO Maëlle Gavet.
What I tell our portfolio company about empathy is that this is not a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have because, as a leader, you should want to have a full understanding of how your decisions and your words impact the people around you.”
As part of her work with global investment Techstars business, Maëlle provides one-on-one mentorship for early-stage entrepreneurs. She shared her insights with Josh Withers on the latest episode of the True Builders Podcast. According to Maëlle, having empathy allows leaders to think ahead about the impact their decisions or words will have on employees, consumers, and stakeholder groups.
Josh and Maëlle talked about the ever-changing tech industry and the distinction between “unicorns” and “dragons” in startups. They also covered:
- The importance of vetting venture firms for successful partnerships
- Essential traits exhibited by effective CEOs
- Managing workload and finding personal balance in the fast-paced and demanding tech industry