What if empathy isn't a soft skill at all—but one of the most strategic capacities a leader can develop?

And what if genuine empathy requires not only understanding others, but understanding ourselves?

In Episode #66 of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Dr. Ben Freer, Dean of the Marion Turpan College of Psychology and Counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Professor of Psychology, and co-founder of The Empathy Center for Research and Training.

Ben is helping redefine empathy for the twenty-first century through what he calls a binocular perspective: one lens focused on the feelings, experiences, wants, and needs of others, and the other focused on our own needs, boundaries, responsibilities, and well-being.

Together, Scott, Jason, and Ben explore:

• Why flourishing leaders must attend to their own flourishing before helping others flourish

• What “binocular empathy” means and why both lenses matter

• Why empathy doesn't require sacrificing yourself for others

• The importance of finding your “empathetic no”

• The difference between pity, sympathy, empathy, and compassion

• Why Ben describes compassion as “empathy plus action”

• Why empathy should be understood as a strategic skill rather than a soft skill

• The five core skills of empathy: cues, pulling the curtain, shifting, boundaries, and feelings

• How assumptions, stress, distraction, and misperception become roadblocks to empathy

• Why curiosity is one of the best antidotes to assumption

• How empathy and accountability strengthen rather than undermine one another

• Why conflict can bring people closer together when handled with humanity

• How empathy helps us disagree without abandoning our convictions or dehumanizing one another

• What Ben has learned about diplomacy, listening, and human connection through his work with the United Nations

• Why empathy can be understood simultaneously as a skill, a virtue, and a discipline

• How adversity, reflection, and human connection sustain hope

Ben ultimately reminds us that empathy isn't about eliminating disagreement or giving everyone what they want.

It's about creating the conditions in which people can genuinely hear one another, remain accountable to one another, and flourish together.

And sometimes it begins with something remarkably simple:

Listening.

Connect & Learn More

The Empathy Center for Research and Training

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
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Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

How do our experiences become sources of wisdom, character, and human flourishing?

In this inspiring episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons welcomes Professor Pete Allison, Associate Professor of Values and Experiential Learning at Penn State University, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, education, service, adventure, compassion, and the winding paths through which people grow.

Pete shares his remarkable personal journey from leaving a school that failed to engage him to becoming a university professor devoted to understanding how people learn in classrooms, communities, wilderness environments, and everyday life.

Together, Scott and Pete explore:

• Why flourishing leadership is relational, reflective, gentle, and often egoless
 • Why life and human development rarely follow a linear path
 • Kurt Hahn’s belief that education should “train the imagination”
 • The educator’s responsibility to “ignite the grand passion” and then get out of the way
 • How Outward Bound develops character across diverse cultural contexts
 • The five educational levers that shape character development
 • Why meaningful service can move people from pity to compassion
 • How habits of service strengthen individuals and communities
 • The difference between feedback and developmental “feed-forward”
 • Why compassion requires action
 • How curiosity helps us learn from people who see the world differently
 • The restorative and reflective power of wilderness, expeditions, and nature
 • The character-building framework of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

Pete reminds us that education is not merely preparation for employment. At its best, it helps people imagine the lives they want to lead, the people they hope to become, and the communities they want to help create.

The path to flourishing may zigzag—but every meaningful experience, relationship, act of service, and moment of reflection can help us continue moving forward.

 Connect & Learn More

Outward Bound International - Strengthening Character Through Outdoor Experiential Learning – John Templeton Foundation funded, multi-year global research initiative 

Executive Summary

Program Video (4 minutes) 

 The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA

Website

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
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Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What if thinking about death could actually help us live more meaningful lives?

In this deeply moving episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons sits down with physician, medical ethicist, and Columbia University professor Dr. Lydia Dugdale to explore one of life's most universal—and often avoided—topics.

Drawing from her acclaimed books Dying in the Twenty-First Century and The Lost Art of Dying, Lydia explains how modern medicine has become remarkably good at prolonging life, while often forgetting the equally important work of helping people prepare for death.

Together they discuss:

• Why healing is different from curing

• The ancient Ars Moriendi ("Art of Dying")

• Why community matters at the end of life

• Character formation across a lifetime

• Medical ethics, healthcare leadership, and virtue

• Why remembering our mortality helps us live with greater gratitude, purpose, and love

The conversation begins with a remarkable personal connection: both Scott and Lydia's grandfathers flew B-17 bombers over Germany during World War II, leading to a powerful discussion about courage, legacy, and becoming the kind of person others remember.

This isn't a conversation about death.

It's a conversation about living wisely.

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What does it really mean to live a good life?

Is flourishing simply about happiness, achievement, or well-being… or is it something much deeper?

In this episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Professor Blaine Fowers, one of the world's leading scholars on virtue, practical wisdom (phronesis), courage, and flourishing.

Together they explore why modern life often emphasizes techniques and effectiveness while overlooking the importance of character and practical wisdom. They discuss Aristotle's enduring influence, the role of moral courage in leadership, the science of virtue, flourishing measurement, and why becoming a flourishing leader begins with becoming the right kind of person.

Whether you're a leader, educator, healthcare professional, coach, researcher, or simply someone seeking to live wisely, this conversation offers timeless insights into what it means to flourish.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why practical wisdom matters more than technique 
• The difference between physical courage and moral courage 
• What flourishing measures often miss 
• How virtue science is reshaping psychology 
• Why relationships are central to leadership 
• How character is cultivated over a lifetime 

Flourishing isn't simply something we measure.

It's something we practice.

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What if the greatest barrier to flourishing isn't a lack of talent...

...but believing you need to become someone else?

In this inspiring episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Liz Walker and Dr. Alison Maitland, co-founders of Becoming International, for a conversation about leadership, identity, courage, and authentic human growth.

Together they explore why flourishing begins not by fixing ourselves, but by becoming more fully who we are uniquely created to be.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why vertical development transforms leaders from the inside out 
• The difference between adding more skills and growing deeper roots 
• Why courage often comes before confidence 
• How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) informs leadership development 
• The role of curiosity, values, and psychological flexibility in flourishing 
• Why discomfort is often the doorway to meaningful growth 
• How leaders create environments where people flourish rather than simply perform 

This conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about perfection.

It's about continual becoming.

Whether you're an executive, educator, coach, entrepreneur, student, or lifelong learner, you'll leave encouraged to embrace growth, not by becoming someone different, but by becoming more fully yourself.

Connect & Learn More

Becoming International

Liz Walker

Dr. Alison Maitland

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What does it truly mean to live a flourishing life?

In this thought-provoking episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with internationally renowned philosopher Professor Massimo Pigliucci to explore timeless questions about wisdom, character, leadership, and the pursuit of a life well lived.

Drawing from Stoicism, Aristotelian virtue ethics, and modern philosophy, Massimo explains why philosophy was never intended to remain inside classrooms or books… it was always meant to help ordinary people live extraordinary lives.

Together they discuss:

• Why philosophy is a way of life, not simply an academic discipline

• The enduring wisdom of Stoicism 

• Practical daily habits that cultivate character and flourishing

• The Stoic practice of evening reflection

• Why true friendship helps us become better people

• Purpose, meaning, and living a eudaimonic life

• Practical wisdom and leadership

• Healthy skepticism, science, and intellectual humility

• Why our teachers should inspire us—but never become our masters

Whether you're a leader, educator, coach, student, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers practical wisdom you can begin applying today.

Because flourishing isn't something we stumble upon...

It's something we practice.

Connect & Learn More

·       Massimo Pigliucci

·       Massimo writes the Figs in Winter newsletter over at Substack

·       Massimo publishes a regular column in Philosophy Now entitled “The Art of Living”

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What if leadership isn't primarily about influence, but about becoming the kind of person who helps others flourish?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Professor Garrett W. Potts for a rich conversation exploring virtue ethics, meaningful work, moral injury, and what it truly means to flourish.

Drawing on the philosophy of Aristotle and Alasdair MacIntyre, Garrett challenges many of today's assumptions about leadership and success. Rather than viewing work simply as a means to achievement or personal fulfillment, he argues that our professions can become powerful practices of character formation; Places where we learn to pursue excellence while serving the common good.

Together, Garrett, Jason, and Scott explore why flourishing is fundamentally relational, how empathy differs from compassion, why leadership requires care for the whole person, and how communities shape both our character and our capacity for wise leadership.

Whether you're leading a business, serving in education, healthcare, government, the military, or simply striving to become a better human being, this conversation offers timeless wisdom for navigating today's complex world.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why flourishing is always relational, not merely individual

• How work can become a practice of character formation

• What Alasdair MacIntyre teaches us about excellence and virtue

• The relationship between empathy, compassion, and honest care

• Why leaders must care for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit

• How moral injury extends beyond the battlefield into everyday organizations

• Why community is essential for developing character

• How vocation differs from career and why purpose matters

• Practical wisdom for becoming the kind of leader who helps others flourish

If you've enjoyed conversations with Tom Morris, Michael Lamb, Marvin Berkowitz, Nancy Sherman, Donna Hicks, or Stephen M. R. Covey, you'll love this inspiring discussion with Professor Garrett Potts.

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What does it mean to become a better person?

And what responsibility do colleges and universities have in helping students develop not only knowledge and skills, but character?

In this episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Dr. Jennifer Rothschild, Executive Director of the Educating Character Initiative (ECI), philosopher, virtue ethicist, and leading voice in character education.

Jennifer shares her journey from philosophy to character education, reflects on the influence of Martha Nussbaum and Candace Vogler, explores Aristotle's vision of virtue, and explains why moral growth is ultimately a story of integration and wholeness.

The conversation also dives into the exciting future of character education through ECI's Communities of Impact and Character Commons initiatives, which aim to connect educators, institutions, and practitioners around a shared commitment to human flourishing.

In this episode:

✅ What flourishing leadership means

✅ The unity of the virtues and moral growth

✅ Aristotle, virtue ethics, and character formation

✅ Why character is always a social story

✅ Hospitality as a leadership practice

✅ The mission of the Educating Character Initiative

✅ Communities of Impact and Character Commons

✅ The future of character education in higher education

Whether you are an educator, leader, student, coach, parent, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers profound insights into what it means to grow in wisdom, virtue, and humanity.

Learn more about The Educating Character Initiative

Learn more about The Program for Character and Leadership 

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What does it mean to lead a flourishing life rooted in character, purpose, and service?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with Professor Marvin Berkowitz, one of the world's foremost scholars in character education and moral development.

Drawing on more than forty years of research and leadership, Marvin shares insights from his groundbreaking work on the PRIMED framework, the role leaders play in shaping organizational culture, and why flourishing must extend beyond happiness and effectiveness toward a deeper commitment to the common good.

Together, they explore:

✅ What flourishing leadership really means

✅ The Jewish concept of tikkun olam ("healing the world")

✅ Why noble purpose is essential for leadership

✅ How leaders shape the moral culture of organizations

✅ The six principles of the PRIMED framework

✅ Why adult culture matters before student programming

✅ The importance of voice, relationships, and servant leadership

✅ Common mistakes leaders make when implementing character initiatives

✅ Why character and citizenship cannot be separated

Whether you're an educator, healthcare leader, military professional, coach, parent, or organizational leader, this conversation offers timeless wisdom about building cultures where people can truly flourish.

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

What does it mean to flourish as a leader in professions where lives hang in the balance?

In this powerful episode of the Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, U.S. Army (Ret.) to explore leadership, character, reflection, healthcare, resilience, and the enduring responsibility to develop others.

A retired three-star general who commanded from platoon to field army, General Hertling shares lessons learned from nearly four decades of military service—including deployments during Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom—as well as his groundbreaking work developing physician leadership programs in healthcare systems across the United States.

The conversation also explores General Hertling's deeply personal new book, If I Don't Return: A Father's Wartime Journal, written during Desert Storm for his young sons in the event he never returned home.

Together, Scott, Jason, and General Hertling discuss:

• What flourishing leadership means in military and healthcare contexts 
• Why a leader's primary responsibility is to "build the bench" 
• The role of character, presence, and continual self-reflection 
• Vulnerability as a hallmark of authentic leadership 
• Leadership development among physicians and healthcare professionals 
• Burnout, moral injury, and flourishing in helping professions 
• Soldier-Athlete principles and holistic human performance 
• The importance of mentoring younger generations of leaders 
• The enduring lessons of fatherhood, legacy, and service 

Whether you are a leader in healthcare, education, business, public service, or the military, this conversation offers timeless wisdom on how to grow yourself while helping others flourish.

Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast!
Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy
Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | YouTube
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life.
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn | [email protected]

Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.