Media Mogul Jose Tolosa Shares Insights on Empathy's Impact in Executive Leadership Roles
Jose Tolosa's Empathetic Leadership Transforms Meow Wolf
Jose Tolosa, the former CEO of Meow Wolf, emphasized the importance of emotional steadiness in leadership during his tenure at the immersive arts company in 2022. Tolosa's approach to empathetic leadership focused on authenticity, presence, active listening, and humility.
Tolosa believed that emotional intelligence should be developed with the same rigor as financial literacy. He prioritized creating a safe space for employees to bring their full selves and gifts, which he identified as essential for genuine work and innovation. By spending extensive time listening rather than giving immediate answers, Tolosa demonstrated a posture of curiosity and prioritized relationships across all company levels—from creatives to administrative staff.
Under Tolosa's leadership, Meow Wolf significantly increased revenue, improved margins, enhanced employee benefits, and gained recognition. In 2024, Fast Company named Meow Wolf one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies."
Tolosa's strategy involved scaling growth without losing the company's creative soul. He expanded Meow Wolf into new markets and diversified its brand into publishing, gaming, and digital storytelling. This approach allowed the company to maintain cultural vibrancy while achieving financial success.
Tolosa argued that empathy in the workplace means building environments where people feel they belong. He stressed that understanding what people find meaningful is crucial and grounding bold creative ideas in the actual guest and employee experiences is essential for success.
Key lessons from Tolosa's empathetic leadership include leading with authenticity, starting leadership by listening deeply, building relationships across all organizational levels, connecting creative vision to practical, meaningful outcomes, balancing enthusiasm for innovation with a grounded focus on experience and meaning, and investing in employee well-being alongside business growth.
Before joining Meow Wolf, Tolosa spent more than a decade at Viacom and Paramount, most notably as Chief Transformation Officer of ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global). He has a reputation for forward-thinking in media and immersive entertainment. During turbulent times, Tolosa advocates for building trust as a deliberate strategy.
References:
[1] Meow Wolf. (2022). Press Release: Jose Tolosa Named CEO of Meow Wolf. [online] Available at: https://meowwolf.com/press-release-jose-tolosa-named-ceo-of-meow-wolf/
During his tenure at Meow Wolf, Jose Tolosa, the former CEO, recognized that emotional intelligence should be developed alongside financial literacy in fostering a conducive environment for careers and business growth. Under Tolosa's empathetic leadership, he prioritized creating a safe space for employees to bring their full selves and unique gifts, which contributed to the company's success in finance, innovation, and employee well-being.
