Feb 18, 2026
#185: In this episode of Over a Pint, Pat sits down with empathy activist and author Rob Volpe, whose book Tell Me More About That reframes empathy not as a soft skill, but as a serious business lever.
Rob breaks down one of the most misunderstood words in marketing and leadership. Empathy is not about being nice. It is about perspective-taking. It is about dismantling judgment. It is about asking better questions. And most importantly, it is about making better decisions.
The conversation explores:
The difference between emotional
empathy and cognitive empathy, and why marketers rely on
perspective taking more than feelings
The Five Steps of Empathy and how
they apply directly to sales, collaboration, problem solving, and
trust building
Why asking “why” often shuts
people down
How big brands leave roughly 10
percent of revenue on the table by ignoring the “Say–Do Gap”
Why qualitative research matters
more than ever in a world obsessed with dashboards
Rob also shares powerful personal stories that shaped his work, from growing up in small-town Indiana to a moment of forgiveness at his 30th high school reunion that quite literally lifted emotional weight.
If you want better insight, better positioning, and better growth, empathy is a competitive advantage.
Here’s how to connect with Rob:
Website: https://www.robvolpe.expert/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmvolpe/
Social Media: Empathy Activist
Newsletter: Reading Between the Lines (found on the website)
Connect with Pat here: pmcgovern@ascedia.com
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This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.