Two contrasting quotes caught my attention this morning:
“The fundamental weakness of Western civilisation is empathy.”
— Elon Musk
“The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”
— Hannah Arendt
One views empathy as a flaw, a hindrance to progress. The other sees its erosion as a warning sign of societal decline. Both perspectives raise an urgent question: What kind of leaders are we celebrating today, and what does that mean for the future?
The Rise of the Empathy-Deficient Leader
In Western culture, power and success are often associated with traits like dominance, decisiveness, and unshakable confidence. We revere leaders who appear strong, who take risks, who defy the status quo. But too often, this celebration of strength comes at the expense of empathy, of kindness, and compassion.
Leaders like Elon Musk and Donald Trump have built their influence on disruption – sometimes at great cost to those around them. Their rhetoric and actions often reveal a belief that emotional connection is a weakness, that empathy slows us down. Yet, history tells us otherwise.
Empathy Is Not a Weakness – It’s a Strength
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It builds trust, fosters collaboration, and fuels innovation. Without it, leadership becomes self-serving, transactional, and, ultimately, destructive.
Empathy allows a leader to:
- See beyond short-term gains to long-term impact.
- Prioritise people and planet over profit and power.
- Recognise that strength is not about crushing opposition but about lifting others up.
Empathetic Leadership in Action
Thankfully, history offers us powerful examples of leaders who embedded empathy as a force for good:
Jacinda Ardern – Leading with Compassion
As Prime Minister of New Zealand, Ardern set a global example of empathetic leadership. From her response to the Christchurch mosque attacks where she embraced grieving families and swiftly enacted gun reforms, to her handling of the COVID-19 crisis, her leadership was defined by care, kindness, and decisive action.
Jacqueline Novogratz – Investing in Dignity
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen, has dedicated her career to tackling global poverty through “patient capital.” Her empathetic approach focuses on understanding the needs of underserved communities and investing in sustainable solutions that uphold human dignity. Since its founding in 2001, Acumen has impacted over 650 million individuals across Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the United States.
Paul Polman – Redefining Corporate Responsibility
As CEO of Unilever, Polman rejected the traditional short-term profit model and courageously championed sustainable business practices. He understood that true leadership meant considering the impact on people and the planet, not just shareholders. His approach proved that empathy-driven business can also be highly successful.
The Academic Perspective: Empathy’s Role in Effective Leadership
There are myriad academic studies which illustrate the value of empathetic leadership. Here are a few suggestions:
- Compassionate Leadership: This leadership style emphasises showing compassion to employees. Studies indicate that employees who experience compassion from leaders feel legitimised, valued, and more satisfied with their jobs. en.wikipedia.org
- Jeremy Howick’s Research on Empathy: A Canadian-born philosopher and clinical epidemiologist based in the UK, Howick directs the Oxford Empathy Programme at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on evidence-based medicine, clinical empathy, and the philosophy of medicine, including the use of placebos in clinical practice and trials. en.wikipedia.org
- Belinda Parmar’s Empathy Business: British entrepreneur and campaigner Belinda Parmar founded “The Empathy Business,” a consultancy that embeds empathy into companies. The firm published an annual “Global Empathy Index” in the Harvard Business Review, highlighting a causal relationship between corporate empathy and commercial performance. en.wikipedia.org
A Call to Action: The Leaders We Choose Shape the Future
Empathy is not a liability. It is not a weakness. It is what makes leadership human. In an era of climate crisis, inequality, and growing division, we need more leaders who see the world through the lens of shared responsibility, not individual gain.
So, as we reflect on these two opposing views of empathy in the quotes I saw this morning, we must ask ourselves:
- What kind of leadership are we developing and celebrating?
- Are we rewarding those who listen, understand, and act with compassion?
- Or are we elevating those who see human connection as an obstacle to power?
Because the leaders we admire today will shape the world our children inherit tomorrow.