Empathy drives innovation—not only as a foundation from which we can ideate, but as a discipline that both defines and expands our creative possibilities. This perspective defined the conversations at the Culture First 2019 Conference in San Francisco, and it shaped a prototype design thinking workshop at the Stanford University d.school that I was able to attend with my colleagues. Together, these experiences taught us something powerful about the human experiences that can fuel or hinder innovation in the workplace. Here are a few of the lessons we took away from leaders in organizational culture, purpose, and engagement about why every innovation project should begin with—and be continually grounded in—empathy.