Empathic Leadership: Why Empaths Need to Lead

The world is moving at a faster rate than ever before in human history. Governments and corporations alike are racing to adapt to new technologies that are transforming nearly every aspect of life. As individuals and as a species, we are feeling the pressure to evolve like never before.

All of this change can be psychologically destabilizing for many. Because of this instability, many people feel increasingly disconnected from their work, their social environment, and their communities.

In the midst of a chaotic time, people are looking for brands and leaders who can help them find meaning and purpose. They are looking for entrepreneurs who put humans first, corporations that value Triple Bottom Line, and influencers whose vision speaks to the hearts of their followers. There is one leadership quality that drives all of these outcomes: empathy.

Why Empathy is Trending

Humans are first and foremost emotional creatures. Leaders with high empathy are able to help people deal with their emotions and create meaning from their environment. People want to follow leaders and organizations that validate the nuances of their experience and inspire them to create a more purposeful.

It’s not hard to see why Influencers like Gary Vee have popularized the role of empathy in leadership. In a recent study by Mickinsey, almost 50 percent of respondents rated an empathic approach to workload balancing as a top factor in how favorably they viewed their organizations during the pandemic.

Beyond the trait of empathy, I would take things one step further. As more and more of our work and life is outsourced to technology, we need to uplift and optimize for a new type of leader. One that is able to intuitively adapt to a volatile environment, leading with compassion and emotional intelligence. This type of person is more and more commonly being referred to as something called an “Empath.”

What is an Empath?

Empaths are highly sensitive, highly intuitive, and often highly spiritual individuals. The term Empath was defined by Judith Orloff, MD and has become increasingly popular in many circles

Possessing extremely high levels of empathy means that an Empath has less energetic boundaries between themselves and others, easily taking on their emotions and stories. Because of this, Empaths can intuitively connect with many different types of people, creating a space that makes them feel seen and understood.

There are three ways that an Empath is created. They could be born sensitive, they may have lost their emotional barriers and become empathic through suffering, or they might have intentionally cultivated their empathy and intuition. In high-functioning Empaths, it is often a combination of the three.

Energetically sensitive individuals may experience physical and mental symptoms that can’t easily be explained by western medicine. They also may falsely identify other people’s emotions as their own, because they are naturally so open to absorbing energy. This can make life very difficult without the right tools to manage these abilities.

The value of these individuals is not commonly understood and Empaths themselves often don’t know what they are. However, when an Empath learns to control their sensitivity, and creates healthy boundaries around themselves, they are able to bring out extraordinary leadership qualities that the world desperately needs.

The Power of Empathic Leaders

The primary power of an Empathic Leader is vision. Empathic leaders can easily see many sides of a situation because their intuitive understanding is so holistic. When placed into an environment, an Empath can absorb all of it, learning and adapting much faster than the average person.

Because of this, they are easily able to understand and communicate to the perspectives of the people they lead, collaborate with, and create for. When aligned with a clear vision, an Empath’s word has incredible power to change hearts and manifest itself in the world.

Aligning action with word is essential for Empaths, as they can feel even subtle misalignments of energy. This starts with a personal narrative, the words we use to construct our reality. People are drawn to follow empathic leaders when they sense their genuine nature and see the clarity of their vision.

Empaths gravitate towards creative work and activities that invoke flow states like intense physical training or meditation. Empaths are often undervalued in traditional careers, the typical business environment can be very draining for them. They often question the “why” behind what they are told, as they are driven to connect their work to a deeper spiritual meaning, serving a purpose in the world around them.

The Rise of the Meek

What empowered Empath leaders bring to the world is an opportunity to change course, to reimagine and redefine what is possible. Empathic leaders are well equipped to guide corporations through digital transformation, to help cities design environments that uplift their diverse communities, and develop startups that create more abundant financial structures and opportunities.

Empathic healers can help integrate practices like yoga, energy medicine, and into a western healthcare system that is overly dependent on pharmaceutical intervention. Empathic teachers can help individuals become psychologically resilient and spiritually connected when they lose their job to automation and their core identity is challenged.

These leadership abilities are enabled by lighter qualities like empathy and compassion, but do not mistake this language to imply weakness. There is a reason that spiritual teachers like Jesus stated that “the meek will inherit the earth.”

What used to be perceived as strength in leadership was a strong ego and a ruthless pursuit of “more.” That model, and many centralized control structures, are breaking down as we reach higher and higher levels of awareness. Surrendering some of this control, especially for men, may feel like weakness. However, that vulnerability opens you to power far greater than yourself. Tao Te Ching refers to this type of power as “The Way.”

Strategies for Empathic Leaders

It is incredibly important for Empaths to separate from and rise above their environment. Getting lost in the stories of others, no matter how well meaning, can trap you in traumatic cycles and quench your ability to share your vision.

Being highly empathetic can lead you to feel the need to take on the challenges and pain of those around you. Compassion is a beautiful thing, but always come back to yourself, to God, and/or whatever centers your identity. The role of an Empathic leader is to be a light, to show others what is possible through your example.

The work, environment, or community that an Empath chooses to be in is also extremely important. Empath’s should develop strong boundaries and understanding. Practices like meditation, yoga, or martial arts can be instrumental in the development of an Empathic leader because they allow him/her to better protect and channel their energy, and thus their vision.

Creating Abundant Futures

I’m presenting these thoughts on Empathic leadership, both as a map for those who identify as “Empaths,” and a model for what the ideal leader of the future should look like.

As technology takes on a larger and larger role in our lives, the market will increasingly value those who can think critically and creatively, display emotional intelligence, and easily synthesize across disciplines.

If we train the next generation to regulate their nervous systems, understand their emotions, think holistically and spiritually, and value empathy and vision as leadership traits, we will not only alleviate much suffering, but create the opportunity for more of us to experience an abundant future.

Will Preble is an entrepreneur focusing on emerging media and blockchain, a digital equity advocate, yoga teacher, and biohacker. Follow for more content on the intersection of technology, spiritually, and human potential.