What if the most important tool in project leadership isn't a framework or a Gantt chart… but empathy?

In this insightful episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Joe Launi, founder of Project Management Experts and a project leadership veteran with nearly 40 years of experience. Joe has spent his career training PMs, advising government agencies, and helping teams shift from transactional management to transformational leadership.

Joe shares why empathy is the foundation of trust, how boundaries actually strengthen relationships, and why the best leaders flip the org chart to learn from the people closest to the work. Through stories from government contracting, military training, and decades of project leadership, he reveals how kindness and accountability can (and must) coexist.

💡 In this conversation, you'll learn how to:

• Lead with empathy without losing accountability

• Shift from transactional to transformational leadership

• Set boundaries that prevent scope creep and protect teams

• Navigate conflict with emotional intelligence

• Encourage upward communication and avoid the "Iceberg of Ignorance"

• Serve teams the way the best military leaders do, through empowerment, not control

🎧 Listen now and discover why empathy is a project leader's strongest competitive advantage.

1. Empathy Doesn't Mean Agreement, It Creates Connection Leaders can acknowledge emotions without endorsing every request. Saying "I hear you" lowers defensiveness, builds trust, and opens the door to solutions grounded in clarity and professionalism.

2. Boundaries Are an Act of Kindness Before accepting scope changes or extra work, pause. Recognize the value of the request and then set the necessary limits. Clear boundaries protect the team, the client relationship, and the integrity of the work.

3. Flip the Org Chart to Access Real Insight Executives usually see only 10% of what's happening inside their organizations. Frontline voices hold the other 90%. Creating safe, structured channels for bottom-up communication strengthens decision-making and culture.

4. Transformational Leadership Focuses on People, Not Just Projects Kind leaders look beyond deliverables and ask: "Will this person leave better than they arrived?" Mentorship, development opportunities, and genuine care elevate both people and performance.

5. Process and Kindness Work Together, Not Against Each Other Formal procedures, like change orders, approvals, and mission boundaries, aren't barriers. They create fairness, clarity, and protection for everyone. When combined with empathy, they become a foundation for trust.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Joe Launi Website: projectmanagementexperts.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: Joseph (Joe) D. Launi

📚 Recommended Book

Born Again - Chuck Colson A powerful memoir of transformation, responsibility, and rebuilding a life of integrity after ethical failure, rich with leadership lessons.

00:00 Introduction to Kind Leadership & Why It Matters Today 02:41 Joe Launi's 40-Year Journey in Project Management 05:41 Transactional vs. Transformational: Defining Kind Leadership 12:45 Why Empathy Is a Leadership Superpower 18:01 Empathy in Military Leadership: Lessons from the Frontline 22:02 Balancing Empathy with Boundaries and Accountability 28:54 Managing Scope Creep with Clarity, Kindness & Process 35:29 Flip the Mic: Gino's Personal Approach to Kind Leadership 41:35 Rapid-Fire Questions, Leadership Wisdom & Closing Reflections