Leadership: Empathy in Action
However you wish to express it, empathy is necessary for leadership. Richard Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry at University of Wisconsin, divides emotional propensities into emotional styles. With regard to social intuition, he says, “Leaders and teachers need to be sensitive to the cues of those around them . . . [and] sensitive to the niceties of the social environment to respond appropriately in a given situation.”7 Ignoring feelings and using intimidation can work for a while to accomplish tasks, but not to inspire real contribution, especially in today’s creativity-driven environment, and this distinction has been active for a while.
What does this have to do with leadership? Everything.
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