Purposeful Empathy

Empathy has never been more important, yet we're living in an era of a massive empathy deficit. At the same time, workplace culture has changed dramatically. Leaders, who have already been stretched to the limit, are now being called on to create and nurture genuine connection, psychological safety, and well-being across their organizations--all while adapting to the values of a new generation that won't compromise on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As this book shows, human beings are wired to care, and we can become more empathic with practice. Empathy increases dopamine, reduces stress, boosts self-esteem, heightens the immune system, and enriches our relationships. Empathy also improves business key performance indicators. This means that leveraging empathy on purpose can lead to better health, happier and more productive workplaces, and a more meaningful life. That's why empathy is our superpower. Through inspiring stories; interviews with experts, including business leaders, neuroscientists, activists, social entrepreneurs, and spiritual leaders; a new model rooted in positive psychology and coaching; and self-development exercises at the end of each chapter, Purposeful Empathy offers wisdom and practical advice to foster personal, organizational, and social transformation.

We are living in an era of a massive empathy deficit, yet our capacity to imagine what someone else is feeling is a unique human superpower. Through inspiring stories, interviews with experts, and self-development exercises, Purposeful Empathy offers wisdom and practical advice to foster personal, organizational, and social transformation.

Conventional product development focuses on the solution. Empathy is a mindset that focuses on people, helping you to understand their thinking patterns and perspectives. Practical Empathy will show you how to gather and compare these patterns to make better decisions, improve your strategy, and collaborate successfully.

Inspiring women are all around us, and I invite you to take notice of their brilliance and the difference they make in our world. This group of contributing authors has demonstrated longevity in their commitment to excellence, moving through difficult challenges, and overcoming personal and professional obstacles. It’s our hope that you enjoy their stories and are touched and moved in a way that you, too, choose to be inspiring to others.

Leading change is not about breaking things - it's about using empathy to enrich the world. In Empathy for Change: How to Create a More Understanding World, former White House entrepreneur-in-residence Amy J. Wilson dives into the intricate science of empathy, debunking common myths and sharing practical uses for a better society. Having built cultures of innovation and change across multiple sectors, she knows that when we do not design with compassion, we remove the humanity and closeness we have to one another. This book touches on: How and why compassion can fuel real change despite its misconceptions Why change is more difficult in the 21st century and what we must do to instill human connection How power, culture, and systems shape our reality and how they can be redesigned What should be combined with empathy to make true positive impact And more! If you are looking for a toolkit to transform the places you live, work and play, this is it. Empathy for Change is the essential guidebook for developing kindness and learning to use it to make a more understanding and equitable future.

Renowned political scientist Terri Givens calls for ‘radical empathy’ in bridging racial divides to understand the origins of our biases, including internalized oppression. Deftly weaving together her own experiences with the political, she offers practical steps to call out racism and bring about radical social change.

'I believe that EQ starts with self-awareness and if we are aware that we need to make a change in our lives, this book can be of great help, if each one even practises a fraction of what is being read, [they] will see a sea change in their work life and personal life for sure.' -S.V. Nathan, chief talent officer, Deloitte India 'This book is an important contribution that provides us with insights about how to get the best from people and organizations in this volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.' -Sourav Mukherji, dean and professor of organizational behaviour, IIM-Bangalore 'One of the best books I have read on bringing EQ into the workplace.' -Prasad Kaipa, CEO Coach, board member, Indian School of Business, author of From Smart to Wise and TEDx speaker 'This book does a wonderful job of thinking about emotions in the Indian workplace. With its rich brew of personal experiences and learnings, engaging case studies, research and questionnaires, From Command to Empathy is essential reading for employees and their leaders.' -Manish Sabharwal, board member, Reserve Bank of India, and CEO, TeamLease In a world characterized by globalization and rapidly evolving technology, change is a given. The primary workforce is evolving and is now dominated by millennials who seek purpose and empathy - a phenomenon the top management grapples with. Most employers' understanding of this change is restricted, leading to most of the techniques used to address issues being in step with advances in process but overlooking the human element.Can an empathetic approach to our relationships at the workplace help us achieve more? Does the onus of creating and sustaining a supportive culture lie only with the top management? There is an urgent need to move away from traditional command-centred style of management towards an organizational culture that is inclusive, fosters trust and focuses on employee empowerment. From Command to Empathy addresses the tussle between the management and the employees, and investigates the reasons behind them through anecdotes, case studies, questionnaires and self-scoring exercises. Avik Chanda and Suman Ghose draw from real-life examples and their deep industry experience, and research on organizational behaviour and neuroscience, to arrive at practical tips on how to inculcate and use emotional maturity in workplace situations to help readers achieve both professional and personal goals.