The challenge of an empathetic leader is not just to tell everyone why they are a thousand percent right to feel why they feel and have no growth to do.

That is, it's not to just chameleon with them and enable them to feel justified in feeling that way, the victim to an incorrect and uncaring world.

A leader needs to empathize, absorb, but still have their own perspective and help the mentee grow.

That often requires helping the mentee understand uncomfortable truths about the role they played in the dysfunction.

When you play the role of the victim you absolve yourself of the responsibility to learn because you had no agency.

Things can only be your fault if you had agency.

Agency is the ability to learn.