Mimi: In 2019 a business coach asked me a question that changed my life. Upon discussing my leadership style with her, she asked me whether my initial definition of “instinct”, as core to my approach, was in fact correct, or whether perhaps it was instead ‘empathy’ that I was using. At the time I didn’t believe it could be but the work that followed allowed me to discover the Empathy Deficit and the power of empathy in leadership. I found a host of data surrounding the gaps that occur when empathy is low (disengagement, demotivation, mental health concerns and even suicide) and once I knew the data, there was no turning back. I had a deep sense that I was meant to be part of the solve and I began writing, teaching and advocating for more empathy in teams, workplaces and our world.

Mimi: From a young age my superpower was listening to people - and particularly mastering this with people unique to me. Different ages, cultures, backgrounds - people fascinated me and I naturally wanted to hear these views, their persecutive and their opinions. As I worked across markets - almost 25 to date - I kept listening. I realised that the more I listened, the more I learned and even more importantly the more rapport and trust I could build - and therefore momentum. When people feel heard they reach their potential more quickly, more effectively and more sustainably. As I saw this from market to market and culture to culture, I realised I must be onto something. Empathy was a superpower.

Mimi: I do, Robert, I really do. Filling the deficit has no connection to making less profit - in fact the opposite is true. The data shows us that the more empathy we have the more profit we make - 23% higher in fact. We see motivation, morale, performance, loyalty all increase. We see innovation go up and creativity improve. The quicker the world recognises the need to reconnect our workplaces in understanding of each other, the quicker we will find our way to balancing humanism and capitalism. That’s to say driving ever higher success whilst reconnecting our teams to purchase, and each other, at the same time.

Mimi: The honest answer here is that I don’t think empathy does require vulnerability. Empathy is a skillset and a data set. Using this skill to understand others, to truly listen to them, to see their perspective and value, doesn’t make me vulnerable, it makes me ‘powerful.’ It means I can connect to my team, lead people with intention and understand how to drive performance for sustained success. There is nothing vulnerable about using data to succeed.

Mimi: I think the key is to slow down. I often tell my clients and teams the same thing. If you don’t slow down, how will you ever have the time to really reflect on what you want, or what others need? Life is so fast and it is only in our ability to slow down and use our Self Empathy to get to know ourselves - and each other - that we can ever have an accurate sense of what the path ahead should be. This is both empowering and liberating.

Mimi: Interestingly I have just created one. It is for primary school aged children - 4-12 years -and it is called *‘Do You See Empathy?’ *The course focuses on helping children recognise, identify and relate to others - to use the power of their imagination to put themselves in the shoes of their friends, families and teachers and to help them identify what these different perspectives look like. Research shows that schools that integrate empathy education demonstrate a 21% decrease in instances of exclusionary & bullying behaviour and WHO data shows that empathy education contributes to a 17% reduction in hostile interactions & 18% increase in pro-social behaviour. Plus according to the National Empathy Index, schools that cultivate empathy skills see a 40% increase in positive relationships. A win win all round. The curriculum is free to all social and public schools and teachers.

Mimi: Stories are based on empathy at their very core. Perhaps this was what drew me to advertising in the first place. The most powerful stories are those that connect to someone else’s lived experiences and realities. I find that as a leader, storytelling is the most efficient and effective way to connect with your team - to bring them into the wider context and to encourage buy in and trust. When data, or a specific corporate reality, is presented within a wider story it becomes far more acceptable and understandable for diverse team members to embrace. In the end if they can follow the story, they are more likely to confidently follow you.

Mimi: You are very kind to say so. Thank you. I have learnt that great success - or any level of sustained success - never comes from a comfort zone. That challenges and barriers are there exactly to push you forward and to be somewhere further along the path. I never fully understood the phrase “success favours the bold” until I became an entrepreneur but today it is my greatest lesson. To be brave is to progress and my empathy journey has only managed to come this far because I am now confident in constantly putting myself outside of my comfort zone.