Increased Power = Decreased Empathy
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“Individuals with a higher sense of power experience less compassion and distress when confronted with another’s suffering”
This was the conclusion of an illuminating study by psychologist Gerben A. van Kleef and colleagues in Psychological Science.
What does this mean? It means that as you rise in influence, your perception of others will (could) become skewed.
The people below you are just whining…
They don’t have a good work ethic…
They lack resiliency…
This whole /company/country is going soft…
These are the thoughts that can start to creep in as you lose your capacity to hear and empathize with those below you. You become laser-focused on a goal and lose your people along the way.
Here are three action points to actively develop empathy today.
Practice curiosity and consider, “What more could be going on here?”
Listen for longer than is comfortable; ask someone below you to “Tell me more” about what they are experiencing/feeling
Cultivate humility. You are probably less skilled at empathy than you think you are
More tips and trainings are available; check out my Empathy at Work Certificate