Idea in Brief

The Challenge

Employees of all types are burned-out and desperately need empathy from their managers. But empathic leadership can be so emotionally and physically draining that it feels unsustainable.

The Dilemma

Many managers believe they have to make a choice: be empathic and sacrifice their well-being for the good of others, or back away to preserve their own emotional health.

The Solution

This dilemma is less real than it seems. Three strategies—discussed in detail in this article—can help managers lead empathically over the long term without burning out.

When I started studying empathy, nearly 20 years ago, its status in the workplace was controversial. Many people believed that empathic leadership—which draws on the ability to understand, care about, and vicariously experience the emotions of others—was too “soft” for the hard-charging, competitive world of business.
A version of this article appeared in the January–February 2024 issue of Harvard Business Review.
Read more on Leadership and managing people or related topics Health and wellness, Stress management, Management styles, Burnout, Mental health, Managing employees, Management skills and Interpersonal skills