Emotionally Uncomfortable 1225: Stoic Empathy with Shermin Kruse
Aug 14, 2025
Shermin Kruse is an author, speaker, and TEDx producer who specializes in helping leaders master resilience and human connection. In a thought-provoking discussion, she explores stoic empathy, emphasizing the importance of emotional boundaries. Shermin shares practical strategies to prevent emotional burnout and offers insights on balancing ambition with vulnerability. They dive into how female leaders navigate emotional responses and discuss the significance of self-regulation in parenting. Learn how embracing discomfort can fuel personal growth and strengthen relationships.
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Stoic Empathy Defined
- Stoic empathy blends Stoic emotional regulation with empathy to keep connection without being overwhelmed.
- Shermin Kruse explains leaders can feel others yet remain in control to serve stakeholders effectively.
Empathy Is A Spectrum
- Emotional empathy feels another's pain in your body while cognitive empathy understands without feeling it.
- Kruse frames empathy as a spectrum and says we can control where we land depending on role and context.
Practice Embracing Discomfort
- Practice stoic exercises like embracing discomfort to expand the space between stimulus and response.
- Use that space to assess what you can control and "do what you can and forget the rest."
