EP 311 - Dr. Jenny Hoffmann: Open Up! Lead with Curiosity, Empathy, and Connection
- Govindh Jayaraman
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Today on Paper Napkin Wisdom, we welcome Dr. Jenny Hoffmann, a leader in health-tech innovation who currently serves as Executive Director at the New England Medical Innovation Center (NEMIC). With a rich background in healthcare strategy and technology deployment, Jenny has spent her career bridging clinical insight with entrepreneurial energy, helping organizations turn innovative ideas into meaningful patient-outcomes. In this episode, we dive deep into how leaders can lean into vulnerability, curiosity, empathy and connection — the key themes captured on her paper napkin:
“Open Up! Be vulnerable enough to lead with curiosity, empathy, and connection.”
Story & Insight: The Napkin Unpacked
Jenny’s succinct message on the napkin resonates like a simplified leadership creed: “Open Up!” At first glance it’s an invitation — but as Jenny unpacks in the conversation, it becomes a framework for how you show up in leading others.
Vulnerability
Jenny opens by reflecting on the myth of the infallible leader. She shares how in her earlier roles she felt the pressure to always “have the answer”, and how that posture created distance from her team. She realized that genuine connection begins when you stop pretending you’re perfect and risk showing your human side. That kind of vulnerability doesn’t show weakness — it signals trust, and invites others to bring their full selves.
Curiosity
From there Jenny shifts into curiosity. She recounts how when leading teams in health-tech innovation, the real breakthroughs didn’t come from already knowing the solution, but from asking “What do you think?”, “What are you missing?”, “What do we need to understand better?” Curiosity becomes a leadership superpower because it keeps you open to possibilities others may spot first. It also flips the script from “I must direct” to “We must discover together.”
Empathy & Connection
Jenny then emphasises empathy as more than a buzzword. She describes a moment when a project stalled because the clinical users felt unheard, the engineers felt under-pressure, and leadership insisted on timelines over dialogue. She intervened by organizing listening sessions, acknowledging the stress on all sides, and creating a space where people’s concerns were voiced. The result: renewed trust, smoother collaboration, and better outcomes. Empathy here is the bridge to connection — and connection is what transforms teams from groups of individuals into aligned, energized partners.
Key Takeaways
Here are five major takeaways from Jenny’s conversation and the napkin message — each followed by a practical “Take Action” for you, the leader.
The power of showing your humanity Take Action: At your next team meeting, share one thing that didn’t go as planned this week and what you learned.
Ask questions before giving answers Take Action: Replace one directive in the next 48 hours with a question like, “What do you think might work?” or “What are we missing?”
Create spaces for listening and reflection Take Action: Schedule a 15-minute “open forum” in a future meeting where the agenda is simply: “What’s on your mind right now?”
Lead from emotional insight, not just logical planning Take Action: Next time you’re setting a goal, pause and ask: “Who will this impact and how will they feel about it?” Write it down.
Turn connection into coordination Take Action: After a joint project ends, hold a short “what went well / what could we improve” debrief—and emphasise not just what we did, but how we worked together.
Guest Bio & Links
Dr. Jenny Hoffmann is currently Executive Director at NEMIC, where she is ushering in a new era of health-tech innovation. Previously she held leadership roles in both provider and startup settings, specializing in translating clinical needs into scalable solutions. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-hoffmann-ma/ About page: https://nemic.org/news/nemic-welcomes-dr-jenny-hoffmann-as-new-executive-director-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-healthtech-innovation
Conclusion
Jenny’s napkin is deceptively simple—but her message is profound: Open up. When you lead with vulnerability, curiosity, empathy and connection, you don’t just manage your team — you mobilize it. Take a napkin. Write your version of “Open Up!” And then step into leadership with your full heart. Share your takeaway on social media with #PaperNapkinWisdom and let others in on the conversation.
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