The Importance of Empathy

by Brandon Gillespie

Simon Sinek succinctly captures many leadership challenges faced today in his talk on Empathy and Perspective. This is an even greater challenge in the Technology Industry!

A few points that resonate:

  • 1:30 - taking care of people in our charge, not being in charge
  • 7:32 - What Empathy looks like (or not)
  • 9:40 - The devastating effects of layoffs on trust
  • 10:40 - Fear and why it is so insidious (Fear and Empathy are further explored in Activator: Design Thinking for Success in Tech)
  • 12:20 - We are the common factor in our failed relationships (see also Leadership and Self Deception)
  • 14:38 - Perspective - The Finite game vs the Infinite game
  • 16:40 - There is no winning in the game of business! (the infinite game cannot be won)

I have further discussed Empathy in the article on Women in STEM: The Courage of Being Different.