Book Review: Dr. Judith Orloff’s Genius of Empathy, with Foreword by the Dalai Lama

Dr. Judith Orloff has long been a leading voice in the fields of psychiatry, empathy, and intuitive development. Now she turns her focus to making the case for undergoing a grand reset that will shift organizations into more caring and empathic places that prioritize the needs of each worker. Because the need for empathy and human connection has increased in our chaotic world, she espouses the power of everyday empathic leadership to change the game from one of power-mongering to that of supportive kindness.

In her new book, The Genius of Empathy: Practical Skills to Heal Your Sensitive Self, Your Relationships, and the World with Foreword by the Dalai Lama, Dr. Judith Orloff applies her expertise as a mental health clinician and a professor of psychiatry to draw on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and energy medicine as she introduces ways to develop empathy as a new and compelling leadership skill.

A recent large study ranked empathy as the most important leadership skill in the workplace. Empathy has been proven to drive positive business results and has numerous therapeutic effects on stressed employees. When leaders express empathy for their team, it increases a team’s innovation and engagement, improves customer service, and helps in balancing home and work life. Further research found that empathic companies are the most profitable and are associated with increased employee earnings and gratification, as well as customer satisfaction.

The Genius of Empathy refutes any belief that approaching team members with empathy makes leaders appear weak, as pushovers, or unable to set boundaries. Rather, such leaders incorporate strength and compassion in their leadership. When an empathic leader, for example, sees a team member faltering, they don’t crank up the pressure to perform or use criticism to motivate. Nor do they lead with provocation or impatience, which only makes people freeze or panic. Instead, they begin with appreciation for the person’s contributions to the team. Then, supportive the team member in exploring strategies that could help in overcoming the difficulty.

Dr. Orloff insightfully describes how expressing empathy requires us to suspend our egos and consider situations from another’s perspective. When we reach for our most admirable self within, we find a path out of struggle and misunderstanding. Practicing empathy recalibrates us toward healthier ways of behaving and perceiving the world. We learn to live in a more spacious, heartfelt place where we can see every situation from a most compassionate, big-picture place.

The book provides insights for leaders who wish to develop and hone their empathic abilities. For example, those who embrace an empathetic leadership style value integrity and relating to others to understand their point of view. Empathic leaders take a genuine interest in team members. They want to know what makes them tick, what inspires them, and how they feel. They nurture their team’s talents and strengths while using appreciation and positive reinforcement to encourage excellence. From modeling integrity to genuinely connecting with others, all leaders, from first-tier managers to C-suite executives, can learn to embody empathy and lead by example.

Writes Dr. Orloff, “Empathy is a state of openheartedness and warmth that helps you reach for the most admirable part of human nature and the kindness within — while also saying no to bad behavior. It allows you to show respect for others, which sometimes means simply hearing them out.”

At this crucial turning point, we need empathic leaders with innovative management styles to motivate teams and provide regular moments of connection and caring — as well as global leaders who can help create a more compassionate, unified, and cooperative world. Judith Orloff’s book helps us examine how we can each contribute to manifesting this necessary change.

Sign up here for Dr. Orloff’s online webinar about empathetic healing techniques based on The Genius of Empathy on April 20, 2024, 11am-1pm PST.

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