During my last full-time job as an executive leader, my colleagues and I were asked to stand in front of the entire company and talk about which of the organization’s corporate values resonated with us the most. Our choices: self-awareness, positive energy, judgment, intellectual honesty, and empathy. These values, along with others like integrity, courage, passion, and fun, might look familiar. They’re the list of company values taped up in corner offices and corridors around the world, even if most employees never know they exist.
“Empathy,” said the woman two seats down from me. “Because people say I’m good at connecting with other people.” Several nods from the crowd of supportive employees. “Empathy,” said the guy next to her, one seat down from me. “I care about other people, and do my best to treat them as I want to be treated.” More nods, and a few spontaneous claps. “Inƒtellectual honesty,” I said. “Because I’m pretty good at cutting through the bullshit.” I got a few smiles and nervous laughs but was mostly met with bewildered silence. I think I was supposed to say “empathy,” but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. As a branding and leadership executive, with a background as an academic psychologist, maybe I knew a little too much about what the word empathy means. Or, rather, how it can mean so many different things—yet absolutely nothing—at the same time.
This story is from the October 2020 edition of Entrepreneur magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2020 edition of Entrepreneur magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE SUBMERGED ADVENTURES
Spearheading GetVantage, one of the leading alternate financing companies in the country, Bhavik Vasa knows that sometimes entrepreneurial journey can get tough and stressful, but he has his own way of clearing his mind -- a few feet underwater.
Robust Charging Infra Key To India's EV30@30 Ambition
WHILE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO HAVE 30% OF 2030 CAR SALES AS EVS IN THE COUNTRY, THE VISION SEEMS UNATTAINABLE WITH JUST OVER 12,000 PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS IN THE COUNTRY AT PRESENT.
OWNING A SLICE OF PROPERTY
Real estate is a critical component of one's portfolio as it provides income, capital appreciation, inflation protection, and diversification.
THE FUTURE OF FINTECH
It's all about setting the house in order
ETCHING SEMICON DREAMS
Historically concentrated in regions like the US, East Asia, and Europe, there's a rising interest in expanding semiconductor assembly and packaging capabilities to emerging markets like India.\"
6 Lessons I Learnt In My First Startup Venture
EVEN THOUGH YOU PICK A BIG MARKET, IT’S IMPORTANT TO PICK A SMALL SEGMENT OF IT TO FOCUS ON FIRST AND UTTERLY DOMINATE BEFORE YOU SLOWLY EXPAND.
How AI and ML are revolutionising healthcare industry
Al ALGORITHMS CAN NOW ANALYZE VAST AMOUNTS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL DRUG CANDIDATES, PREDICT THEIR EFFICACY, AND OPTIMIZE DRUG DISCOVERY PROCESSES.
5 Lessons I Learnt As An Entrepreneur Over The Last Decade
TODAY, WE ARE A PROFITABLE BUSINESS WITH 2.5 TIMES OF OVER PRECOVID BUSINESS VOLUMES.
Revolutionizing the two-wheeler industry with technology
TO CATER TO THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR TWOWHEELERS, THE INDUSTRY IS CONTINUOUSLY EMBRACING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY, PRODUCTIVITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY.
Who's Stealing Your Time?
Do you have less time for the things you love? You might be blaming the wrong people.