What happens when a leader or manager lacks empathy?

During the long course of a long professional career, you might be fortunate to encounter good leaders and managers who often have a certain “je ne sais quoi,” or “X factor” that sets them apart. While many of them will possess certain qualities that make them effective, there will be others who will not. As it turns out, some will lack a fundamental sense of humanity or what is called “empathy”.

“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.” — Alfred Adler

Empathy is a vital trait for any leader to possess. It allows leaders to understand and relate to the perspectives and experiences of others and to lead with compassion and understanding. Unfortunately, not all leaders or managers will have this quality.

“In my career, I have experienced some of the most empathetic leaders and managers. Likewise, I have also encountered others who only care about their self-interest and are willing to sacrifice their subordinates in order to achieve their agenda.”

Nonetheless, it is essential to remember that not all leaders with little or no empathy are necessarily “bad” people. Some may have grown up in an environment where they have never seen or experienced good leadership themselves. Others may have faced personal challenges that have affected their ability to empathize with others, making them unaware of the impact of their actions or even believing that they are acting in their organization’s best interest. While these could be justifiable reasons for their behavior, the impact of their actions cannot be ignored as they are harmful to the people around them and can negatively impact the overall culture of their organization.

“A lack of empathy can create a toxic environment where employees feel unsupported and undervalued, leading to high turnover rates, low morale, and poor performance.”

To offer them the needed support, such leaders and managers should be approached with compassion and understanding. And one way to help them to become more empathetic and compassionate is through training and development programs. These programs will not only teach them how to understand and appreciate different perspectives but help them gain insight into their behavior, and develop the qualities they need to become empathetic leaders.

Reflecting on my experience and those of others around me, I have seen how leaders and managers with or without empathy can profoundly impact overall job satisfaction, productivity, and mental, and emotional well-being. And for organizations that are concerned about the well-being of their workforce, I believe that the more leaders and managers with empathy they can grow, engage or employ, the less stress and burnout levels they will have to deal with while building a more engaged and productive workforce.