Yesterday I read an opinion piece in The New York Times “The Dark Side of Empathy” which prompted me to reflect about how I employ empathy in my work.

The writer Michael Ventura discusses …”we’re witnessing a rise in leaders who reject empathy rhetorically while using it tactically. They discredit this vital skill as weakness, yet fine-tune their messaging to trigger precisely the reactions they need from investors, voters and followers.”

I agree with the writer’s POV that empathy is a strength and I often implement empathy as a business practice. When I show and demonstrate empathy, I am authentically trying to connect to my client. I think it’s important to employ empathy rhetorically AND tactically. Yes, possibly I am tapping this skill to advance my business connectivity because indeed I find that my relationship with that client grows in an organic way when I demonstrate empathy.

Ventura points out that: “Empathy that connects, that builds, that heals requires a code of ethics. It requires restraint. It requires trust.”

I am ethical in my business practices and so when I express empathy with a client it is from a principled objective and it develops trust with them. One of my approaches is by telling stories that reflect similar scenarios to what my clients are experiencing.

He points out: “If we want better leadership in business…., we need to reclaim empathy as a responsibility.”

I agree.

How do you employ empathy in your business?