Empathy. We hear that word a lot these days in the wake of #MeToo, school shootings and other highly publicised acts of violence and incivility. We shake our heads and ask how can a person commit these acts against another human being? The perpetrators seemed to act without empathy – without taking into account the feelings and point of view of their victims. Sexual harassment is a glaring example of what can happen when potential perpetrators do not put themselves in their victims’ shoes. People become dehumanised targets of demeaning or even violent behaviour.
An organisation without empathy creates environments in which people only lookout for themselves and force others to have to lookout for themselves.
Dehumanisation can be in the villainous forms above, but also in more subtle forms of workplace discrimination and harassment. An organisation without empathy creates environments in which people only lookout for themselves and force others to have to lookout for themselves. This creates a negative work environment, personal harm, loss of productivity, attrition and a drag on the bottom line.
We know some basic information about the nature of empathy and its importance in preventing uncivil conduct, even in the workplace.
Given the power of empathy to transform our workplaces and our society, why isn’t every corporate leader rushing to increase their in-born level of empathy as well as that of their entire workforce?
A willingness to recognise instances when we must control our impulse to feed our egos by dehumanising others is the first step in reversing incivility, including sexual harassment, in the workplace and in the world.
Here’s the hard answer. Improving empathy starts with motivation. When it comes to soft skills like empathy, are we motivated to be motivated? Are there incentives to be aware of our own flaws; to be consistently laser-focused on others when interacting; to always treat others as they want to be treated? In our modern “Me” culture, are ego-driven individuals really motivated to recognise situations that require prioritising someone else? A willingness to recognise instances when we must control our impulse to feed our egos by dehumanising others is the first step in reversing incivility, including sexual harassment, in the workplace and in the world.
The next step is pausing to think and consider. Is the conduct I am contemplating or witnessing something I would want my loved one to experience? Research has found that ethical thinking takes more time than our quick, intuitive system of decision-making*. The same is true of empathetic thinking. The perspective gained in those micro-seconds has the power to avert the humiliation or degradation of another human being.
If people who harass others based on gender – call them bullies, predators, harassers, jerks, power-mongers – were to reflect, even one moment, about their own loved one enduring such treatment, their in-born wiring for empathy may just stop them before they act. And if they still step over the line, they can learn to empathise – but only if they are motivated.
In the wake of #MeToo and the ongoing stream of sexual harassment news stories, many organisational leaders are immobilised by fear of doing the wrong thing and becoming a headline themselves. In some organisations, this is causing an extreme pendulum swing where women are being marginalised and denied opportunities that may put them in one-on-one contact with men. This clearly can cause a whole host of new problems. Fear of these extremes could be the best motivator of all to work on increasing organisational empathy.
But why let fear drive such a critical change? Let’s commit to setting aside our egos and start embracing empathy because it is simply the right thing to do, for our coworkers, our organisations and our communities.
This blog is part of the You Can't Delegate Ethics campaign. The campaign posits that systemic change on the issue of sexual harassment will occur only when good people in power take responsibility for the issue and create workplaces that do not tolerate it.
About NAVEX Global, Inc.
NAVEX Global’s comprehensive suite of ethics and compliance software, content and services helps organisations protect their people, reputation and bottom line. Trusted by 85% of the FORTUNE 500 and more than 14,000 clients, our solutions are informed by the largest ethics and compliance community in the world.
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