Read the article about empathy in company culture. First decide whether the statements (1–8) are true (T) or false (F) and put a cross ( ) in the correct box. Then identify the sentence in the text which supports your decision. Write the first four words of this sentence in the space provided. There may be more than one correct answer; write down only one. The first one (0) has been done for you. TASK 3 Empathy in company culture Tim Cook warned MIT graduates, “People will try to convince you that you should keep empathy out of your career. Don’t accept this false premise.” The Apple CEO isn’t alone in recognising the importance of empathy – the ability to share and understand others’ emotions – at work. At the time of his speech, 20% of U.S. employers offered empathy training for managers. In a recent survey of 150 CEOs, over 80% recognized empathy as key to success. Research demonstrates that Cook is on to something. Empathic workplaces tend to enjoy stronger collaboration, less stress, and greater morale, and their employees recover more quickly from difficult moments such as redundancies. Despite this, many leaders struggle to make caring part of their organisational culture. Imagine a company whose culture is defined by aggression and competition. The CEO realises this, so he or she suddenly reveals that empathy is a new corporate value. It’s a well-intentioned move, but this has shifted the goal posts. One might hope employees will be eager to take this on, but evidence suggests the opposite. When typical social behaviours otherwise known as ‘norms’ and ideals conflict with each other, people are drawn towards what others do, not what they’re told to do. What’s worse, people who are attached to the previous culture might feel betrayed or see leadership as having higher standards than is the case. Thankfully, there’s a way to work with the power of social conventions instead of against them, and consequently change work cultures. People conform not just to others’ bad behaviours, but also believe in and follow kind and productive behaviours. For instance, after seeing people vote, conserve energy, or donate to charity, people are more likely to do so themselves. One strategy for building empathy in the workplace is to acknowledge the potential for growth. When people think of empathy as a trait that people either have or don’t have, it may seem out of reach. People who have this kind of fixed mindset around empathy work less hard to connect with others. If such beliefs exist in an organisation, encouraging empathy as a company value will fail. The good news is our mindsets can change and empathy is less like a trait and more like a skill. The loudest voices are seldom the kindest, but when they dominate conversations, they can also affect our perceptions. For example, when one team member loudly expresses a toxic attitude, colleagues can confuse this for the majority opinion. Such “imaginary norms” can prevent positive change from taking place when people conform to them. Leaders can challenge imaginary norms by drawing attention to the right behaviours. Empathy often belongs to a quiet majority and this behaviour can be supported through incentives and recognition so employees see it as a positive norm. Every group, whether it’s a corporate division, or a police department, has people who encourage team solidarity even though it’s not part of their formal role. These individuals might not be the most popular or powerful, but they are the most connected. Information, ideas, and values flow through them. They are their groups’ overlooked influencers. In a recent study, Betsy Levy Paluck and her colleagues used this wisdom to change culture in middle schools. They allowed some students to create anti-bullying campaigns which were then spread around campus. Levy Paluck found that peer-led anti-bullying campaigns worked but were especially effective when they were led by the most connected students. To build empathic cultures, leaders can begin by identifying who is connected, and recruit them to help advocate the cause. This not only increases the probability that new ideals will take off; it also allows employees to be recognised for connecting with others – highlighting another positive social norm at the same time. But to succeed at making empathy part of an organisation’s DNA, leaders must pay close attention to how cultures build and change – organically, collectively, and often from the bottom up. 176 E Preparing for final exams Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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