Interview conducted by Lenja Faraguna for Media Marketing, as part of the interview series: “Marketers of the Future”
There comes a moment when organizations realize that the problems they are trying to solve through processes, strategies, and tools actually stem from something else – the way people within them feel.
In a conversation with Nina Martinjak, the Vice President of the Slovenian Human Resources Association, co-founder of Vita X, this very dimension of leadership is explored – one that is not visible in reports, but strongly shapes them. Empathy and emotional agility here are not an addition to existing practices, but their foundation, determining how teams function, how long they stay, and how willing they are to give more than the minimum.
Through concrete experiences, the interview shifts the focus from the question of “how to manage people” to the essence: how to truly understand them. In that shift lies the answer to one of the most frequent challenges of today’s market, not how to attract talent, but how to retain it.
How important are empathy and emotional agility in building a culture that attracts and retains talent?
In my opinion, empathy and emotional agility are among the key leadership competencies and are essential for creating an attractive and long-term successful organizational culture. Their impact is reflected on multiple levels.
An empathetic leader has the ability to step into the emotions and perspectives of their team members. They do not focus only on what people do, but also on how they feel and why they may be struggling at a given moment. Because they can “read between the lines”, they are able to recognize distress, uncertainty, or tension more quickly and act before problems escalate.
When employees feel understood, safe, and accepted, they are more relaxed, motivated, and internally connected to their work. This directly impacts their productivity, innovation, and willingness to take responsibility. Organizations that systematically foster such a culture typically experience lower turnover and fewer sick leaves.
People want to feel valued and important. When their efforts are recognized and acknowledged, they are less likely to consider leaving. Such a culture is not only pleasant – it is strategically effective.
In addition to empathy, emotional agility is also extremely important – a capability that enables leaders and teams to flexibly navigate unpredictable situations and emotional pressures. Recognizing and responding to one’s own and others’ emotions in a balanced way, rather than suppressing them or reacting impulsively, allows for faster adaptation to change, reduces conflict, and strengthens resilience. In a dynamic business environment, this is crucial for maintaining focus, solving challenges, and ensuring stability.
Leadership must not only declare values such as empathy and emotional agility, but truly embody them – through daily actions and example. Only then do they become part of organizational practice rather than remaining empty words. When such a positive and supportive culture is deeply rooted, it naturally extends outward and becomes a magnet for talent seeking an environment where they are valued and heard.
Do you think empathy is encouraged in your environment, or are leaders still expected to prioritize logic and decisiveness over empathetic connection with people?
It is noticeable that in the Slovenian business environment, the importance of empathy in leadership is increasingly recognized and encouraged. However, in practice, we still often encounter strong forms of “boss-style” leadership, where the mindset “it will be as I say” prevails. In such environments, employees are treated primarily as resources for achieving business results, while their human aspect is overlooked.
I strongly believe that employees are not just resources, but people – with their own needs, emotions, and aspirations. Therefore, it is essential that leaders understand the importance of empathetic connection. Logic and decisiveness are undoubtedly key qualities of a good leader, but they do not exclude empathy – on the contrary, I believe they complement each other. A decisive leader can also be highly empathetic, as they understand the impact of their decisions on people and know how to act in a way that preserves trust and motivation within the team.
The influence of the generation entering the labor market is particularly interesting and important. Many are somewhat “afraid” of them, but I see them as a mirror of society and an indicator of changing priorities. These young individuals emphasize work-life balance, as they want to work in order to live, not live in order to work.
Because of this shift in perspective, it is even more important to recognize and develop leaders who can navigate today’s societal challenges in an empathetic way – leaders who foster respect, autonomy, and a sense of belonging. Only with such an approach can we successfully attract and retain the talent that will shape the future of our organizations.
How do you personally, or in your organization, experience the connection between leader empathy and business performance? Do you have an example where it made a concrete difference?
Personally, and in my professional practice, I clearly experience a strong and direct connection between leader empathy and business performance. Companies that truly live their values and prioritize empathetic leaders, placing them in key positions, achieve significantly better results. This is not just theory; it is confirmed in practice.
I often work with companies seeking help due to high employee turnover and increased sick leave. However, deeper analysis usually reveals that the root of the problem lies in the leadership approach itself.
When employees do not feel understood, supported, or recognized, they lose motivation and engagement. In such cases, my key recommendation is that leadership must start with itself. No external development initiative will sustainably solve the problem if the leadership culture does not change from within.
Employees in empathetic environments are demonstrably more engaged and productive. This directly translates into better business results, lower turnover, and higher satisfaction and sense of belonging. Empathetic leadership is not a luxury – it is a foundation for long-term success.
How does the Slovenian work context understand and apply empathy as a leadership skill?
In the Slovenian work environment, empathy as a leadership skill is still not uniformly established. Although more and more companies recognize its importance, there are still many, especially more conservative environments, where empathy is mistakenly perceived as a sign of weakness.
Such beliefs contradict modern leadership approaches. In reality, empathy enables a deeper understanding of people, better communication, and more thoughtful, sustainable decisions based on trust.
It is encouraging that the situation is improving, partly due to talent shortages and increasing competition for skilled employees. Companies are realizing that purely rational, authoritarian leadership is no longer sufficient. Empathy is becoming a real competitive advantage.
How did conversations about “soft” skills such as emotional culture, psychological safety, and empathy begin in your company?
In my view, it is crucial that HR departments initiate these conversations, but present them to leadership in a way that is clear and convincing – through concrete numbers and business indicators.
For example: lost working days due to sick leave, lower employee engagement, and the costs of turnover.
When leadership understands that “soft” skills are not just “nice to have”, but a strategic competence with real business impact, they become much more willing to invest in developing emotional intelligence, empathy, and psychological safety.
How do you train or support empathetic leaders? Is it something that can be developed or something you need to look for?
Empathy ranks very high on my personal value scale, so I have always actively looked for it when selecting collaborators, especially leaders. I believe that true empathy is very difficult, if not almost impossible, to develop from scratch if a person does not already have a certain level of emotional intelligence.
Someone who is not naturally empathetic may learn certain techniques through training or coaching, but they will likely never truly sense and deeply feel another person in the way a genuinely empathetic leader can.
What does a company without emotional agility look like? How can you recognize it?
The lack of emotional agility can be felt immediately. In rigid and toxic environments, employees withdraw, avoid eye contact, and rarely greet each other. The atmosphere is tense, communication is formal, and relationships are superficial.
Leadership often shows a strong belief in its own indispensability and tends to blame others for problems – employees, generational trends, or HR. They rarely recognize their own impact on the organizational culture.
This mindset is reflected in overconfidence, resistance to feedback, and reluctance to change.
Is empathy a matter of process, people, or values? How can it be integrated into a company?
Empathy must be one of the core company values, clearly defined and consistently communicated. However, that alone is not enough – leadership must actively live it in everyday behavior.
It also needs to be integrated into HR practices, especially recruitment, by selecting individuals who demonstrate emotional intelligence and the ability to understand others.
Only when empathy exists at the level of values, people, and processes can it truly become embedded in organizational culture.
Have you seen a case where a brand improved externally because something changed internally due to empathy?
Absolutely. When a company develops empathy and emotional agility internally, it leads to better relationships, more respect, and a safer environment – resulting in more satisfied employees.
These employees become the most authentic brand ambassadors. Their experience translates outward – in customer interactions, recommendations, and communication style. This strengthens the brand’s reputation far more than any advertising campaign.
An external image that is not supported by a healthy internal culture remains only a façade and eventually collapses.
How do you recognize a leader who can “stay in empathy” without immediately solving or judging?
One of the strongest yet quietest qualities of a mature leader is the ability to remain present in a conversation, even when it is emotionally demanding, without the need to immediately offer solutions or judgments.
Such a leader truly listens, does not interrupt, and does not rush to conclusions. Their presence communicates: “I am here, I am listening, I understand you.”
Have you noticed concrete differences between leaders who develop these “soft” skills and those who do not?
Absolutely. The differences are often visible at first glance. A leader without these skills usually has a dissatisfied and passive team, which quickly translates into lower motivation, reduced engagement, and a tense atmosphere. This often leads to higher turnover and poorer business results.
In contrast, leaders with developed empathy and emotional agility create an environment of trust, respect, and safety. People in such environments collaborate more easily, share ideas, and remain motivated even in challenging situations.
If empathy were a KPI with ROI, how would you measure it? What would be the proof that it works?
Although empathy is often considered a “soft” skill, it has very concrete, measurable effects in organizations. It could be tracked through lower employee turnover, fewer sick days, higher engagement, and greater customer loyalty.
The proof that empathy works is not only a better workplace climate, but tangible business outcomes.
