Empathy, Kindness, and the Real Secret to Success

By Lyle Best, Co-Founder, Heroes Unleashed

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately — which, in my case, usually means trouble.

A few people close to me know that I’m in another round with cancer. Not my first. Hopefully

not my last win, either.

Normally, I keep that sort of thing private. I’m not one for public sympathy or dramatic

announcements. But in the last little while, through a few conversations, I’ve learned something surprising: apparently, I inspire people.

Who knew?

If that’s true, I suspect it’s got less to do with anything I’ve accomplished and more to do with one thing that’s quietly carried me through it all — empathy.

It’s not a glamorous trait. You can’t measure it in a spreadsheet, and no one hands you an award for it. But I’ve come to believe empathy, along with kindness and humility, might just be the real superpowers of success.

They don’t make headlines. They make connections. And somewhere along the way, that’s what built everything else.

I learned that early, growing up in a funeral home.

You see a lot of life there — the beginnings, the endings, and everything in between. You learn quickly that people just want to be seen, heard, and treated like they matter.

It’s not complicated, but it’s amazing how many of us forget it.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book on “business.” These days, they all seem to say the same thing — how to win, scale, optimize.

You probably won’t find this stuff in a Business for Dummies manual. Then again, empathy and kindness built Quikcard into what it is today, so maybe I’m on to something.

I’ve noticed it in business too. When someone on your team isn’t performing, the easy move is to jump to conclusions — they’re distracted, disengaged, not pulling their weight.

But real leadership starts with a question: What’s going on?

Observation isn’t about catching people out. It’s about understanding why.

Because you never really know what someone’s pushing through — a family crisis, money

troubles, burnout… or, who knows, maybe even cancer ��.

A little curiosity, a little compassion — it changes everything.

That’s the thing about empathy: it’s not soft. It’s strong. It’s what lets you sit with people when things aren’t easy. It’s what helps you keep perspective when life throws you something unexpected.

I talked in a previous piece about the boxes we pack up over a career — the awards, the plaques, the memories. This is the same lesson, just told a little differently. What lasts isn’t what you collect. It’s how you show up for people along the way.

And maybe that’s why I co-founded Heroes Unleashed — to remind leaders that success isn’t just about performance. It’s about people. It’s about the human things that make everything else possible.

Empathy. Kindness. Humility.

They don’t make much noise, but they make all the difference.

If I’ve learned anything — in business, in life, and yes, in a few hospital waiting rooms — it’s

this:

Be kind. Listen more than you talk. Stay curious.

Because one day, when all the noise fades, those are the things that last.

Sometimes one conversation can change everything.

Feel free to reach out to us at Heroes Unleashed - we would love to start a conversation.

https://www.heroesunleashed.ca/contactus