Confidence Classic: Lead With Empathy, Strength & Purpose with Dalia Feldheim
In this episode of Creating Confidence, Dalia Feldheim discusses how modern leadership is evolving beyond traditional command-and-control approaches. She explains why traits like empathy, intuition, and teamwork are becoming essential for effective leadership, particularly in virtual work environments, and shares insights from her experience transforming marketing campaigns into vehicles for women's empowerment at Procter & Gamble.
Drawing from her transition from P&G to a Chief Marketing Officer role in Asia, Feldheim explores how to navigate toxic work environments and maintain personal values in challenging corporate settings. She also addresses the connection between workplace wellbeing and professional relationships, and offers perspectives on finding purpose within large corporations while maintaining work-life balance through practices like digital detox and gratitude exercises.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Nov 18, 2025 episode of the Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan
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1-Page Summary
Redefining Leadership: Embracing Empathy, Intuition, and Teamwork
The podcast explores how modern leadership is evolving to incorporate traditionally "feminine" traits alongside conventional "masculine" approaches. Dalia Feldheim challenges traditional corporate leadership models, arguing that effective leadership requires a balance of both masculine and feminine traits, regardless of gender.
Leadership and Corporate Culture
Feldheim observes that the corporate world's traditional command-and-control style is becoming increasingly ineffective, especially with virtual teams. She advocates for a leadership approach that emphasizes collaboration over dominance, noting how traits like empathy, intuition, and teamwork can significantly improve workplace environments.
Marketing for Women's Empowerment
During her tenure at Procter & Gamble, Feldheim transformed marketing campaigns into vehicles for women's empowerment. Her work included the viral "I dared, I touched the pickle" campaign addressing period stigma in India and the globally recognized "Like a Girl" campaign, demonstrating how brands can positively influence social narratives.
Navigating Toxic Work Environments
Feldheim shares her personal experience transitioning from a successful 17-year career at Procter & Gamble to a challenging Chief Marketing Officer role in Asia. She describes facing a toxic environment where her strengths were denigrated and her approach to marketing was dismissed. Through this experience, she learned the importance of maintaining zero tolerance for toxic workplaces and the wisdom of leaving environments that require compromising one's values.
Building Purpose and Wellbeing at Work
Feldheim emphasizes the importance of aligning corporate roles with personal purpose, suggesting that individuals can find meaningful work within large corporations. She advocates for wellness strategies, including digital detox and gratitude practices, to build resilience. She also stresses the significance of relationship-building among colleagues, citing research that links workplace happiness to strong professional relationships.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While integrating "feminine" traits into leadership is beneficial, it's important to recognize that not all traditionally feminine traits are positive in a leadership context, just as not all traditionally masculine traits are negative. Effective leadership should be about the right mix of traits that work for the individual and the situation, rather than a prescribed balance of masculine and feminine qualities.
- The effectiveness of leadership styles can be context-dependent. In some situations, a more directive, command-and-control approach may be necessary to ensure safety, meet urgent deadlines, or handle crises.
- Collaboration is important, but there are times when too much emphasis on consensus can lead to indecision or a lack of direction. Effective leadership may sometimes require making tough decisions that are not popular with everyone.
- While empathy and intuition are valuable, they should be complemented with data-driven decision-making and strategic thinking to ensure that business decisions are sound and not solely based on feelings or hunches.
- Marketing campaigns that aim to empower women or address social issues can be powerful, but they also run the risk of being perceived as inauthentic or as exploiting social causes for commercial gain if not executed with genuine intent and action.
- The idea of zero tolerance for toxic workplaces is noble, but the reality is that many individuals may not have the privilege or opportunity to leave their jobs, even if the environment is less than ideal. Strategies for coping and improving one's work environment can also be valuable.
- While aligning personal purpose with corporate roles is ideal, it may not always be feasible for everyone, and individuals may find purpose in aspects of their work that are not directly related to their job description or in their life outside of work.
- Wellness strategies are important, but they should not be used as a band-aid for systemic issues within a workplace that may be causing stress or burnout. Organizational changes may also be necessary to address the root causes of workplace dissatisfaction.
- Strong professional relationships are indeed linked to workplace happiness, but it's also important to maintain boundaries and ensure that the workplace does not encroach excessively on personal life and well-being.
Actionables
- You can foster a balanced leadership approach by starting a peer feedback loop at work, where you and your colleagues regularly exchange constructive feedback on how well you're integrating empathy, intuition, and teamwork into your daily tasks. This could be as simple as a shared document or a weekly 15-minute meeting dedicated to discussing these traits and providing examples of how they were successfully used in recent projects.
- Develop a personal "values alignment" chart to ensure your work aligns with your purpose. On a sheet of paper, list your top personal values on one side and your job responsibilities on the other. Draw lines connecting how each responsibility can serve or reflect your values. If you find areas that don't align, brainstorm ways to adjust your approach to your work to better reflect your values, or consider if these are signs you might want to look for opportunities elsewhere.
- Create a "wellness toolkit" for your workplace that includes digital detox challenges, where you encourage your team to disconnect from work-related digital communication after hours for a week, and gratitude sessions, where team members share small wins or things they're grateful for at the start of team meetings. This can help build resilience and a positive team culture, making the workplace more supportive and collaborative.
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Redefining Leadership: Embracing Empathy, Intuition, and Teamwork
Leadership is evolving to include traits that were traditionally considered "feminine" such as empathy, intuition, and teamwork. These qualities are proving to be crucial for success in today’s dynamic workplace environment.
Leadership Balances Masculine and Feminine Traits
Leadership Qualities: Both Genders Have Masculine and Feminine Traits
Feldheim stresses the importance of recognizing that effective leadership requires a balance of masculine and feminine traits, which are present in individuals irrespective of gender. She confronts the narrow perception of gendered leadership with the eye-catching title "Lead Like a Girl," which challenges the notion of strictly masculine or feminine brains or leadership styles.
Corporate World Overly Focuses On Wounded Masculine Power, Not Empowering People
Feldheim observes that the corporate world's traditional approach to leadership, characterized by a masculine command and control style, is failing, especially with virtual teams. This outmoded method reflects what she describes as "wounded masculine power," emphasizing dominance over collaboration and contributing to disengagement in the workforce. Feldheim insists that leaders must foster power with people rather than power over them.
Embracing "Feminine" Traits Such as Empathy, Intuition, and Teamwork Boosts Workplaces
Dalia Feldheim strongly advocates for integrating traits like empathy, intuition, and teamwork into the workplace. She cites statistics showing a rise in work-related anxiety and toxic environments driving the 'great resignation', which underline the need for a shift to more human-centric leadership.
Dahlia's Work Empowering Women Through Marketing Campaigns
Dahlia's Work With Femcare Brands Sparked Her Women's Empowerment Journey
Beginning her journey with Procter & Gamble in the Femcare division, Feldheim realized that her role went beyond selling products—it was about empowering women. She was moved by the menstrual stigma she witnessed in India and decided to leverage her ...
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Redefining Leadership: Embracing Empathy, Intuition, and Teamwork
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Counterarguments
- While empathy, intuition, and teamwork are valuable, leadership also requires decisiveness, strategic thinking, and sometimes a degree of assertiveness, which are traditionally seen as masculine traits.
- The balance between masculine and feminine traits is subjective and context-dependent; what works for one organization or team may not work for another.
- Some argue that the dichotomy of masculine and feminine traits is itself outdated, and that traits should not be gendered at all.
- The effectiveness of a command-and-control style can depend on the industry, company culture, and specific challenges faced by an organization.
- There is a risk that emphasizing traditionally feminine traits could reinforce gender stereotypes rather than dismantle them.
- The idea of "wounded masculine power" could be seen as an oversimplification of the issues with traditional corporate leadership styles.
- The assertion that traditional leadership styles are failing, especially with virtual teams, may not account for successful traditional leadership approaches that have adapted to remote work environments.
- The impact of marketing campaigns on societal change is complex and multifaceted; while they can influence social narratives, they are not the sole drivers of cultural shifts.
- Some may argue that marketing campaigns, even those with positive messages, ultimately serve ...
Actionables
- You can start a personal journal to reflect on how you use empathy, intuition, and teamwork in daily interactions, aiming to identify areas for growth and set specific goals for improvement. For example, if you notice you're not actively listening during conversations, set a goal to ask at least two follow-up questions in every discussion to better understand the other person's perspective.
- Create a peer feedback group with friends or colleagues where you give and receive constructive feedback on leadership traits, focusing on balancing masculine and feminine qualities. In this group, you might present a recent situation where you took charge and ask for feedback on how you could have incorporated more collaborative approaches.
- Volunteer for a local community initiative or nonprofit organization to practice a ...
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Dahlia's Corporate Experience: Personal Stories and Lessons From a Toxic Environment
Dahlia Feldheim shares her profound experiences and insights from navigating a toxic corporate environment, imparting crucial lessons on maintaining integrity in the face of adversity.
Dahlia's Positive Corporate Experience at Procter & Gamble
Dahlia had a long and initially positive 17-year career at Procter & Gamble, where she thrived by aligning her work with her passion for women's empowerment. During her tenure, she was involved with campaigns that focused on empowering women.
Strengths Appreciated, Then Denigrated In New Role
However, after transitioning to a Chief Marketing Officer role in Asia, Dahlia experienced a dramatic shift. She found herself in a culture obsessively focused on numbers and scorecards, where her new boss criticized her for believing in the art of marketing and dismissing it as merely a science. Dahlia described an incident where she was given a box of tissues with a derisive handmade sticker labeled "Dahlia’s tissue box," which she found particularly denigrating.
Navigating a Toxic Work Environment
Humiliated, Disrespected, and Undermined by New Manager
Feldheim recounted how the humiliation and disrespect from her new manager caused her to lose confidence. Despite her attempts to push back and offer feedback, she was repeatedly undermined, challenging her sense of professional worth and personal authenticity.
Struggled With the Decision, Ultimately Choosing to Leave After Fulfilling Commitments
The decision to leave was not easy for Feldheim as she struggled with the prospect of quitting while being the main breadwinner. Yet, she realized that she needed to escape the suffocating atmosphere where her heart and authenticity were ...
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Dahlia's Corporate Experience: Personal Stories and Lessons From a Toxic Environment
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Actionables
- Create a personal values statement to guide your career decisions and ensure alignment with your core beliefs. Write down your top five values and reflect on how your current work environment supports or conflicts with these values. This exercise will help you recognize when a job or project is not in harmony with what you find most important, similar to how Dahlia identified the misalignment with her passion for women's empowerment.
- Set up a "confidence journal" to document your professional achievements and positive feedback. Regularly update this journal, especially after successful projects or when you receive compliments on your work. This practice can serve as a personal reminder of your worth and help counteract any negative feedback or toxic behavior you might encounter, as Dahlia did with her manager's criticism.
- Establish a six-month check-in routine for evaluating your job sat ...
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Strategies: Building Purpose, Resilience, and Wellbeing At Work
Dalia Feldheim shares insights on how individuals can integrate purpose, resilience, and wellbeing into their professional lives, advocating for a humanized workplace culture that supports personal growth.
Finding Purpose and Passion in Work
Feldheim emphasizes the significance of identifying one's strengths and passions to discover purpose at work, advising individuals to reflect on their life's journey to spot their "red thread." She uses her own path as a testament, having focused on people empowerment through her marketing campaigns and team-building efforts. Feldheim rediscovered her purpose after going back to her strengths—people and creativity—regardless of her manager's lack of appreciation, which led to a successful campaign.
Align Corporate Roles With Your Purpose
Moreover, Feldheim underscores that aligning one's job with their purpose is feasible within large corporations, countering the assumption that finding purpose might compel employees to take a radically different path. By aligning her role at Procter & Gamble with her passion for empowering people, she created magic within the corporate context and thrived there for 17 years.
Cultivating Resilience and Wellbeing
Dalia Feldheim also touches on the concept of growth mindset as a route to resilience, explaining that it involves seeing failure as a learning opportunity rather than a negative reflection on oneself. She encourages prioritizing wellness strategies like digital detox, which increases productivity, and advocates for personal resilience growth. Feldheim highlights practices like gratitude to foster positivity, suggesting that acknowledging negative emotions leads to an "upward spiral of positivity." She also offers practical advice, for example, focusing on gratitude while performing a daily task such as brushing teeth.
Prioritize Wellness Through Physical, Mental, and Emotional Practices
Feldheim sheds light on the crucial role of self-care for wellness, encompassing a range of physical practices from proper eating to digital detoxification. She references research that associates mandated a ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Strategies: Building Purpose, Resilience, and Wellbeing At Work
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Counterarguments
- While identifying strengths and passions can help find purpose, not all individuals may be able to easily identify these, and some may require external guidance or support.
- Reflecting on one's life journey to find a "red thread" assumes that everyone has a clear and consistent theme in their lives, which may not be the case for everyone.
- The feasibility of aligning one's job role with personal purpose within large corporations may vary depending on the company's flexibility, culture, and the individual's role.
- The concept of a growth mindset is beneficial, but it may not be sufficient on its own to foster resilience without additional support structures and resources.
- Digital detox and other wellness strategies may not be practical or welcomed by all employees, especially those in roles that require constant connectivity.
- The practice of gratitude, while beneficial, may not address deeper psychological issues that could affect wellbeing.
- The assumption that having a best friend at work significantly increases job satisfaction may not apply to everyone, as some individuals may prefer to keep their professional and personal lives separate.
- Promoting empathy in the wo ...
Actionables
- You can create a "Purpose Map" by drawing a visual representation of your career path, highlighting moments where you felt most engaged and fulfilled. This map can include symbols, colors, or images that represent different phases or achievements in your professional life. For example, use a green circle to denote a period of growth or a star for a significant accomplishment. Over time, this map serves as a visual guide to understanding your unique purpose and can help you make future career decisions that align with your passions.
- Start a "Resilience Journal" where you document challenges faced each week and the lessons learned from them. Instead of focusing on the setbacks, concentrate on the growth aspect of each situation. For instance, if you missed a deadline, write down what organizational skills you can improve or what you learned about time management. This practice turns failures into stepping stones for personal development and resilience.
- Initiate a "Wellness Swap" ...
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