Why Empathetic Leadership Matters: The Cost of Silence

Next date: Friday, 11 September 2026 | 09:30 AM to 11:00 AM

What is the cost of silence? 

In every workplace, organisation and community, there are moments when people choose not to speak up, ask for help, share an idea, challenge a decision or have a difficult conversation. While silence can feel safe in the moment, its impact can be far-reaching. 

Join TEDx speaker, empathy educator and social entrepreneur Leanne Butterworth for a powerful and thought-provoking keynote exploring how empathetic leadership can strengthen trust, improve communication, foster psychological safety and create environments where people feel heard, valued, visible and safe. Drawing on neuroscience, lived experience and practical leadership strategies, Leanne will challenge audiences to rethink empathy not as a “soft skill”, but as a critical capability for effective leadership, healthy workplace culture and organisational success.  

Through engaging storytelling, evidence-based insights and practical takeaways, attendees will discover how healthy empathy can help build stronger relationships, improve engagement, support wellbeing and create more connected and resilient teams. Leanne’s work focuses on helping leaders and organisations make empathy practical, actionable and genuinely human.  

Whether you work in business, government, education, healthcare, community services, the not-for-profit sector or are simply interested in becoming a more effective leader, this keynote will provide valuable insights that can be applied immediately in both professional and personal settings.

About Leanne Butterworth 

Leanne Butterworth is what happens when a TEDx speaker, social entrepreneur, and empathy realist walk into a room… and it turns into a masterclass.

Founder of Empathy First, Leanne doesn’t just teach empathy — she redefines it. With a postgrad in nonprofit, philanthropy, social enterprise, and human-centred design, she builds stronger leaders, safer workplaces, and healthier communities by helping people feel heard, valued, visible, and safe. Whether she’s working with government agencies, schoolkids, healthcare professionals, or keynote audiences, she pairs warmth with neuroscience, and stagecraft with soul.

She’s got her wings on, a rebel streak against “soft skill” stigma, and a mission to make empathy the ultimate leadership edge.

AUSTAFE Queensland is a not-for-profit professional association dedicated to creating opportunities for networking, leadership development and professional growth. Through conferences, forums, keynote events and leadership programs, AUSTAFE supports aspiring, emerging and established leaders to expand their networks, strengthen their capabilities and make a positive impact within their organisations and communities.  

This keynote reflects AUSTAFE Queensland’s commitment to providing accessible professional development opportunities that inspire people to lead with confidence, connection and purpose.  

Discover why empathy is rapidly becoming one of the most important leadership capabilities of our time and learn how breaking the silence can create stronger teams, healthier workplaces and better outcomes for everyone.

When

Location

This is a must-attend event for anyone in a leadership role or an aspiring leader in any sector or industry.

CQUniversity North Rockhampton Campus - Building 5 Room G.02, 554/700 yaamba rd, Norman Gardens, 4701, View Map