Reflection Point

We often think of empathy as a feeling, but it’s a skill—something we can build that helps us in our personal relationships and improves our performance at work. Empathy is one of the five key skills every team needs to grow its collective intelligence and boost collaboration, innovation, and productivity. Since everything we do at Reflection Point is based in science, we want to share three fascinating research studies about the importance of growing empathy at work. 1. Empathy can be a barrier to inclusion. Research shows that empathy is inherently biased. We instinctively empathize more with those who are familiar or similar to us, struggling to extend the same to people of different races, ages, or genders. @Jamil Zaki, a psychology professor at Stanford, explains: “Our instincts evolved in a world where most encounters were familiar…The hormones that drive us to nurture also make us suspicious of outsiders.” In short, humans are wired to exclude rather than include. 2. Empathy can be learned. Primatologist Frans de Waal’s research on bonobos showed that empathy can be fostered. Orphaned bonobos, who initially reconciled less with others, learned empathy over time. @Jamil Zaki agrees, stating that we can “turn empathy up or down like a volume knob,” adapting how we care for others beyond our instinctual limits. 3. Empathetic companies are more profitable and grow faster. Research from Lady Geek’s Global Empathy Index shows a direct link between empathy and commercial success. The study, published in Harvard Business Review, found businesses that act ethically, treat staff well, and communicate better with customers are more productive and profitable. The top 10 companies increased in value over twice as much as the bottom 10 and generated 50% more earnings. To find out more about the science of empathy and how to build more of it in your organization, read this: https://loom.ly/2Q9tRBY

Does your organization feel like it could use a little more empathy? A lack of openness to differing viewpoints or a weak sense of belonging can all signal the need for a more empathetic approach. Empathy is more than just a feeling—it's a skill that can be learned, and it has a real impact on business success. Research shows that organizations with more empathy have happier teams and tend to grow faster and perform better. To learn more about how empathy can transform your workplace, check out this resource: https://loom.ly/2Q9tRBY

Is Amazon's RTO mandate a canary in the coal mine for the future of work as it relates to the trust needed for a strong culture? 93% of business executives say building and maintaining trust is critical to the bottom line. Yet only 23% of employees trust their company leaders to do the right thing and 40% of employees don’t feel trusted by their leaders.

Meanness at work is becoming too common in a culture driven by individualism. Empathy is a powerful antidote to workplace meanness and it’s a skill that can be cultivated with practice. Companies that prioritize empathy have happier employees and boost innovation and profitability. Read on: https://loom.ly/jupXZxQ

We may think we know what empathy is, but the science and biology of empathy are incredibly nuanced. The bottom line: empathy is a critically important tool that humans use to make sense of the world and guide virtually all our social interactions, including the way we work together.   We humans are hard-wired to divide the world into us and them. Our perceptions about who belongs in which group are often instantaneous and insidious, disrupting our ability to work together.   In high-turnover workplaces with diverse colleagues, this natural wariness of others can be disastrous, limiting the effectiveness of teams and groups and ultimately preventing performance.   The good news is that empathy is not a fixed trait but a skill that can be developed. Stanford psychology professor @Jamil Zaki has identified five ways to develop empathy. To learn more about building more empathy in your organization to power greater collaboration, read this: https://loom.ly/2Q9tRBY

Can AI replace human creativity? A new study says yes—with a catch. Writers using AI got better results, but their stories lacked originality. While AI can improve writing quality, it struggles to create truly unique ideas. Want to stand out? This study suggests relying solely on AI could limit your creativity. Sometimes, only you can deliver what’s next. Read more from this month's The Prism: https://loom.ly/09D6Zgg

Empathy is the key to bridging our divides, yet it’s increasingly rare. A 2021 Pew Research Report found that 90% of Americans feel our differences pull us apart, ranking the U.S. as one of the most fractured, wary, and distrustful countries in the world. This lack of trust paralyzes teams at work. How can we innovate or take risks if we don’t understand each other? While empathy can help, we often limit it to those like us, hindering diversity and inclusion efforts. The good news is that empathy is a skill that can be developed. By practicing it, teams can boost collaboration, innovation, and even profits. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eS6fjbNr Photo: Golden Bridge, Bà Nà Hills resort, near Da Nang, Vietnam

Failure is inevitable, but what if it could become a powerful tool for growth? Learn five ways to reframe your relationship with failure, including how to fail intelligently, shift from blame to praise, and foster a team-oriented mindset. Embracing failure can lead to greater innovation and success! 🚀 Discover more in this insightful piece by Ann Kowal Smith.

Have you ever gotten advice from a mentor that didn’t sit well? Advice that disregarded the essence of who you are? A team of marketing colleagues in a large global tech company recently pondered this question in a Reflection Point session. One young man reflected on times he felt he had to change to fit others’ expectations. “Shapeshifting,” he called it. “If you change your identity so easily, so quickly, how do you retain the real you?” How did the group get so candid so quickly? We started by reading and discussing a story. Dolapo Owolabi is a graduating university student in Britain with designs to enter the banking world. Dolapo is the protagonist in Nigerian author Chibundu Onuzo’s short but powerful story “Sunita.” A well-meaning mentor (hired to help companies recruit minority students) schooled her on her name (call yourself “Dolly” instead) and her hair, the large afro Dolapo dearly loved. With Daisy’s encouragement, Dolapo purchased new hair for 300 pounds (hair from an Indian girl named Sunita) and had it woven and stitched into the tight braids of her natural hair. She became Dolly with straight hair and the “right” clothes, but she remained Dolapo underneath and struggled to recognize herself. In the Reflection Point session, the group was asked, “Was Daisy a good mentor?” While Dolapo emerged triumphant by standing up for herself and attending her interview with her natural hair, Sunita’s experience was more sobering. This led to a deeper discussion about how society’s stratified structure allows us to avoid confronting the discomfort of our own choices. The story prompted the group to reflect on their choices, assumptions, and perspectives, powered by courageous self-inquiry and collective questioning. If you want to learn how to ask better questions and help your team work better together, read this: https://loom.ly/nTL6Wbc

"Back to school" doesn't have to mean "back to stress." Keep that summer feeling into the fall with some advice from our CEO.