Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare

Empathic Leadership (In person / Online)

  • Duration: One day or Two half-day modules (or your chosen format)
  • Location: Your venue or Virtual (depending on delivery mode)

Who is this course for?

This programme—the first and only course on empathic leadership for the healthcare sector—is tailored for leaders, managers and aspiring change-makers across the healthcare sector who want to deepen their capacity for empathic leadership. Whether you lead a team, a function, or an organisation, this course will help you lead in a way that combines clarity, connection and sustainable boundaries.

Overview

Empathic leadership in healthcare has been shown to improve patient and practitioner outcomes, while improving financial performance. Meanwhile, government reports show that lack of empathic leadership causes harm, increases burnout, and decreases patient satisfaction (and increases patient complaints). Drawing on the first model of empathic leadership created by the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare team, participants will develop their own heuristics for empathic leadership (such as “Listen first, speak last” and “Walk the shop floor”). Heuristics are teachable, memorable, and transformative guides. Across interactive workshops, and guided planning, leaders learn to navigate complex emotional dynamics without blurring boundaries or burning out.

Participants will:

  • Cultivate empathic verbal and nonverbal skills grounded in rigor
  • Use heuristics to simplify nuanced judgment in real time
  • Reflect on personal leadership challenges and commit to actionable empathy habits

By the end of the course, participants will:

  • Understand the theoretical foundations connecting empathy, leadership effectiveness, and organizational resilience
  • Develop heuristics suited to their setting that can be immediately applied and cascaded throughout their organisation
  • Be able to apply heuristics as practical decision aids in emotionally charged situations
  • Gain tools to lead with curiosity, integrity, and clear boundaries
  • Develop a personal empathy leadership plan to embed learning into daily practice
  • Increase confidence in handling conflict, feedback, and high-stakes relational dynamics

Format

This course is workshop-based, featuring:

  • Facilitated small-group discussions
  • Interactive stories and case vignettes
  • Realistic role-plays and simulations
  • Heuristic toolkits and decision aids
  • Reflection, peer coaching, and feedback cycles
  • Engaging exercises to consolidate learning

Preparation

No formal prework is required; participants may be asked to reflect beforehand on challenging interpersonal leadership moments.

Assessment

There is no formal assessment. This is a professional development course. Participants will receive a certificate of completion.

Course bookings

To discuss booking a tailored training session for your team or organisation, and to find out course prices, please contact us on empathy@leicester.ac.uk.

Course team

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