The trouble with too much empathy at the workplace

One of the growing criticisms of design thinking is on account of its excessive focus on empathy at the cost of expertise

- Pavan Soni

It's often said that too much humility is pride. In a similar vein, too much empathy could be vanity. We all understand the importance of empathy in professional spheres, but could there be a downside to empathy? While it is important to know your emotional state and that of others, you must avoid situations where you end up making yourself miserable while attempting to make others happy.

The trouble with excessive empathy is that it not only plagues your professional life but also the personal. Take your children; when should you give in to their demands and when should you draw the line? Empathy must be demonstrated within boundaries or it hurts all involved. Containing your emotions in general, and empathy in particular, may be daunting in a personal setting, but relatively straightforward on the professional front. Or so we think.