When Empathy Becomes Sympathy: What’s the difference?

<p>Episode #135 // Is there such a thing as “<em>too much empathy</em>”? Despite what many pundits say, I believe that there’s a place for almost limitless empathy in a leader. The more you have, the better you’ll be able to lead your people.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The risk is that weak leaders often allow their empathy to devolve into sympathy, which is a very different thing.</p><p><br></p><p>If you combine empathy with the right leadership behaviours - strength of character and uncompromising standards - it will build the foundations for everything you need to do as a leader.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, I take a critical look at the nexus between empathy and sympathy. If you’re aware of this distinction, you’re more likely to resist the temptation to become a weak leader who rationalises, avoids, and freezes when faced with difficult choices.</p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>