How Leaders Can Practice Wise Empathy

Over the past two decades, there has been a notable shift toward a gentler, more emotionally sensitive leadership style. There is ample evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, to support this shift: Companies do better (because people do better) when leaders provide them with genuine emotional support. People expect it too. Employees who don’t feel supported are more likely to leave. According to one report, poorly empathetic organizations risk losing $180 billion annually in attrition costs.