Skims cofounder Emma Grede says leaders can be empathetic without treating employees like family

Skims cofounder Emma Grede says tough decisions and empathy can go hand in hand. The Hapa Blonde/GC Images Emma Grede said leaders need to balance empathy with what's best for business. The SKIMS cofounder said being a boss doesn't mean treating everyone like family. However, she believes employees shouldn't be blindsided by tough conversations about their performance. Skims cofounder Emma Grede said good leaders won't let their employees get blindsided at work. During an appearance on the "Boardroom" podcast hosted by Rich Kleiman, the entrepreneur discussed how she approaches difficult decisions as a leader. To Grede, effective leadership is about balancing empathy with what the business needs. "You can, at once, be an extremely empathetic leader and have the needs of your team and your people at the absolute forefront of what you're doing," Grede told Kleiman.