The Empathy Dilemma

Lead with compassion without compromising financial success.

We have entered a new world of work. It’s a world where leaders utilise a human-centric approach, prioritising the mental health and personal responsibilities of their employees alongside their professional ones. However, post-pandemic, a dark side to the empathetic workplace has emerged and many well-intentioned business leaders are struggling to keep both productivity and morale high. In The Empathy Dilemma, author, speaker, and empathy advocate, Maria Ross, explores the difficulties businesses are having, and the solutions they need to get back on track. Drawing on her decades of experience, thorough research, and extensive interviews, Ross goes back to the basics of what empathy is, and what it isn’t. She details where leaders are going wrong and how to tackle complicating factors such as generational mindsets, philosophical differences, and diverse life experiences by utilising the five pillars of empathetic leadership: self-awareness, self-care, clarity, decisiveness, and joy. And by bringing this all into focus, Ross emphasizes the fact that empathy is a two-way street that involves mutual respect and trust between all involved parties. Written as a follow-up to her book The Empathy Edge, The Empathy Dilemma is the guide every leader needs in order to prioritise performance and protect mental health so that both their business and their employees come out on top.