Latest news with #empathy
Entrepreneur
10 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
School's Out — How to Support Working Parents This Summer
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. When school lets out for summer, many parents struggle to piece together childcare, adjust their schedules and stay on top of work responsibilities, often with limited support. Becoming a parent has given me a deeper, more personal understanding of what working parents are juggling, especially when their support systems are stretched thin. I grew up watching two working parents handle it all. Even with just one child, I can feel how demanding it is. That lived experience has sharpened my empathy and made me more aware of how different each family's situation can be. So much of the load parents carry is invisible: coordinating school pickups, managing last-minute sick days, finding childcare or simply staying emotionally present while switching between personal and professional roles. Summer brings a different kind of unpredictability. Camps may only run for half the day. Family travel peaks. Normal childcare routines break down. Research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that mothers of children ages 6-12 spend 31 more minutes per day, and fathers 18 more minutes per day, caring for their children in the summer compared to the school year. This may not sound like a lot, but consider that extra time over 70 or 80 days of summer and add it to the already time-intensive responsibilities of parenthood. So, how can leaders better support working parents during these unpredictable summer months? Related: How to Create a Supportive Workplace Culture Without Sacrificing Productivity Make flexibility the norm, not the exception One of the most meaningful ways leaders can help parents navigate summer break is by embracing schedule flexibility. For some employees, that might mean working earlier or later than usual. For others, it means shifting to asynchronous collaboration to keep projects moving without everyone online at the same time. Implementing "core hours," a daily block of time set aside for live collaboration, with the rest of the day open for focused solo work, can help to balance team connectivity with individual productivity. Offer team-wide calendar reviews at the start of summer to reduce unnecessary meetings and empower time ownership. Doing meeting-free days, or even weeks, during peak school breaks can also help prevent burnout. These approaches allow people to work in ways that suit their lives while still maintaining momentum. Research from Future Forum supports this, showing that employees with schedule flexibility report 29% higher productivity and more than 50% greater ability to focus. Companies that go further, such as by offering stipends for summer childcare or providing access to virtual summer camps through employee perks platforms, are not just helping parents stay afloat. They're investing in long-term engagement and retention. Related: An Investor Doubted Me and My Business Because I'm a Working Dad — Here's Why You Don't Have to Sacrifice Work or Your Family. Don't assume top performers are fine A common mistake leaders make is assuming high-performing employees will figure things out. They're adaptable, resourceful and driven, so why wouldn't they manage just fine during a hectic season like summer? But that thinking overlooks a key truth: Even the most capable people have limits. And when leaders fail to check in or offer support, those employees may not speak up. Instead, they may quietly burn out or disengage. The better approach is to create space for open dialogue. As a leader, I've learned the importance of checking in proactively, not just to ask about work, but also how people are really doing. Employees who feel supported by their manager are over three times more likely to be engaged at work. That starts with creating space for honest conversations. Encourage managers to normalize conversations about caregiving and offer micro-flexibility (i.e. shifting hours, no-meeting blocks) as a baseline for supporting parents. Broader company-wide conversations can happen through short surveys or structured feedback from employee resource groups. The goal with these initiatives is to listen. Salesforce, for example, found that employees who feel heard are over four times more likely to feel empowered and do their best work. Often, people don't expect you to solve everything; they just want to know someone sees what they're carrying and cares enough to ask. Lead by modeling boundaries and presence Since becoming a parent, I've also had to change how I manage my own time. I've become ruthless about timeboxing. I give each task, meeting or decision a hard boundary and focus deeply within that window. When the time's up, I move on. That discipline has helped me avoid dragging work into every corner of the day and allowed me to be more present both at home and at work. Presence is something we sometimes underestimate in leadership. It's not about always being available. It's about fully engaging in the moment, whether in a one-on-one meeting, a group brainstorming session or at your kid's first swim lesson. Everyone's version of presence will look different, and that's part of the point. When leaders model this, it sets a tone and gives others permission to be human, too. One study found that 96% of employees believe empathy from leadership improves retention. Empathy doesn't have to be dramatic. Sometimes, it just looks like a calendar that reflects your priorities and a culture that supports others in doing the same. Related: You Don't Need to Sacrifice Your Family to Pursue Being an Entrepreneur. Here's How to Save Yourself 500 Hours Per Year. Summer is a chance to rethink what support looks like Every summer, families shift their routines to keep everything moving, and employers should do the same. As leaders, our responsibility is not to expect everyone to adapt to a rigid system but to create a workplace flexible enough to adapt to people's lives. That starts with trust, empathy and a willingness to lead with curiosity rather than assumptions. Parenthood has helped me see all of this more clearly. And while my daughter isn't in school yet, the lessons she's already taught me about presence, patience and what really matters are shaping how I show up for my team every day. When we create room for those kinds of human moments at work, we get better results while building stronger, more resilient cultures that last long after the summer is over.
Fast Company
11 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The leaders who shape us: A journey of influence and impact
Leadership is often described as a journey, but it is rarely a journey we walk alone. From our earliest experiences to the highest levels of executive responsibility, the leaders we become are profoundly shaped by the leaders we observe. Role models' and mentors' impact on leadership development is undeniable and transformative. Throughout my career leading Fortune 500 companies through times of growth, transformation, and uncertainty—from Coca-Cola to Hewlett-Packard to Xerox to Greif—one truth has remained consistent: We lead how we have learned. Whether those lessons come from extraordinary mentors who inspire us or from cautionary examples we vow never to repeat, they are the blueprint for how we show up for others. THE POWER OF POSITIVE ROLE MODELS Exceptional role models are often the unsung heroes of great leadership. They teach us not by lecturing or commanding, but by embodying the values, behaviors, and principles that make a difference. A true role model: Demonstrates integrity consistently Leads with humility and purpose Empowers others rather than overshadows them Listens as actively as they speak Stays calm and principled under pressure Early in my career at Xerox, I worked under a leader who demonstrated these qualities. She taught me that leadership was not about being the loudest voice, but about being the most consistent presence. She modeled how clear values could be the anchor during turbulence, and her empathy created an environment where ideas thrived and people grew. From her, I learned that leadership is not a title you wear, but a responsibility that you carry always. I learned a fundamental truth from role models like her: Great leaders plant seeds of greatness in others. They do not seek followers; they build more leaders. LEARNING FROM THE 'ANTI-MODELS' Interestingly, some of the most important leadership lessons come from what I call 'anti-models'—individuals whose behaviors, while perhaps unintentional, serve as vivid reminders of how not to lead. At one point in my career, I witnessed leadership that valued short-term wins over long-term trust. Decisions were made with little consultation in that environment, and fear often replaced inspiration. Observing this firsthand taught me that leadership without empathy is unsustainable and that fear cannot create lasting commitment. From these experiences, I made a promise to myself: No matter how challenging the business environment, I would lead with empathy, dignity, and unwavering respect for every individual. LEADERSHIP IS A CONSCIOUS CHOICE One of the most profound realizations I have had is that leadership is not inherited. Rather, it is a conscious, daily choice shaped by the role models we emulate. When I transitioned to Coca-Cola, the company was expanding its global footprint, and I intentionally modeled transparency and resilience. We faced massive change, and I knew I needed to demonstrate that change is not something to fear, but an opportunity to lead with courage. Later, at Hewlett-Packard, navigating a period of significant technological innovation and organizational transformation, I emphasized the importance of authentic and compassionate leadership. Self-awareness is critical. At every major inflection point, I have asked myself: Who am I modeling today? Am I channeling the humility and resilience of my best mentors? Am I rejecting the fear-driven patterns I once witnessed? Growth begins with gratitude for the good models and vigilance against repeating the mistakes of the bad ones. Today, one of the most inspiring aspects of leadership is realizing that we are someone else's role model. At Greif, as we navigated transformation and global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, I understood deeply that every decision and every interaction mattered. Employees watched not just what I said but how I behaved: how I treated people during times of stress, celebrated quiet contributions, and showed up in moments of uncertainty. This knowledge humbles me. It reminds me that: Someone is learning courage by watching how we handle fear. Someone is learning fairness by observing how we allocate opportunity. Someone is learning resilience by seeing how we navigate setbacks. Leadership, then, is not just about achieving business results. It is about leaving a legacy of character, commitment, and community. THE CALL TO ACTION FOR LEADERS TODAY Leaders have an even greater responsibility to be intentional role models in an era of relentless change and uncertainty. We must: Model adaptability, not anxiety Model empathy, not entitlement Model inclusion, not insularity The world is not waiting for more powerful leaders. It is waiting for more human ones. We must recognize that leadership is less about commanding and authority, and more about authenticity and coaching. The leaders who will thrive in the 21st century inspire others to say, 'Because of you, I did not give up.' FINAL REFLECTION As I reflect on the leaders who shaped my journey—from the compassionate mentors at Xerox to the courageous visionaries at Coca-Cola and Hewlett-Packard to the resilient teams at Greif—I feel deep gratitude and a powerful sense of responsibility. Leadership is a living chain of influence, and we each have the power to strengthen or weaken it. Let us choose to strengthen it. Let us lead in ways that honor those who led us well, redeem the lessons of those who did not, and inspire others to one day lead even better than we did. Because leadership, at its core, is not about being remembered for what we achieved. It is about remembering how we made others feel—about themselves, their potential, and the future.
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
Former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern on projecting "A Different Kind of Power"
These days, at her local coffee shop near Boston, Jacinda Ardern can be just another customer. "I don't put my name on the order; it's too complicated!" she laughed. I asked, "When you order coffee here, do people start talking politics with you?" "No. Not at all," Ardern replied. "In fact, the guy behind the counter said to me, 'Ah, you are really familiar. Oh, I know: Toni Collette!'" Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern with correspondent Robert Costa. CBS News That's a moment that would never happen in New Zealand, where Ardern became the world's youngest female head of government when she was just 37 years old. Now 44, former Prime Minister Ardern has been living in the U.S. since she left office two years ago. She is serving as a fellow at Harvard University, and has written a new book, "A Different Kind of Power" (to be published June 3 by Crown). Of the title, she says, "I think, you know, there are different ways to lead. But I hope you also see that some of those character traits that we perhaps bring to it that we might believe to be weaknesses – imposter syndrome, or even empathy – actually are incredible strengths." Ardern says her story is about finding her voice in New Zealand, a small nation of about five million people. "I never, ever saw myself becoming prime minister, ever," she said. In fact, her father told Ardern that she was too "thin-skinned" for politics. Was he right? "He was absolutely right!" she laughed. "But I guess where I corrected him is, your sensitivity is your empathy. And goodness, don't we need a bit more of that?" Crown In New Zealand, the answer was yes. Ahead of the 2017 election, Ardern suddenly became the leader of her country's left-leaning Labour Party. Weeks after winning, she made an announcement: she was pregnant. Her journey, alongside her then-partner, now-husband, Clarke, soon won her global attention. Was she comfortable with the symbolism of her role? Ardern said, "I realized the importance of it when I first received a letter from someone on their way to work to tell their boss that they were having a baby, and they felt nervous about their boss' view of whether they could do their job When she heard that I was pregnant, and that gave her a level of confidence, you know, I felt like I also needed to show I could do the job and be a mother." But those joyful early days were followed by challenges. In 2019, mass shootings targeting Muslims in Christchurch left more than 50 dead – a crucible for New Zealand, and a call to action for its leader: a ban on semi-automatic weapons. I asked, "Why do you believe you and your colleagues in New Zealand were able to achieve gun control reform in the wake of a horrific mass shooting, but so often here in the United States such legislative changes have been hard to get?" "I can't speak to the U.S. experience," Ardern replied, "but if we really wanted to say, 'We don't ever want this to happen again,' we needed to demonstrate what we were doing to make that a reality." But even after she won another election, things weren't easy. As the pandemic wore on, tensions flared over her government's COVID policies. In 2023, when she stunned many by deciding to resign, she wore her heart on her sleeve, telling Parliament: "You can be a nerd, a cryer, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me." Though she has left office, she has not stopped keeping a close eye on our turbulent ties. Asked what she makes of President Trump and his decisions on trade and foreign policy, Ardern said, "You know, we are seeing people experience deep financial insecurity, and that has to be addressed by political leaders. But I continue to hold that ideas of isolation or protectionism or closing ourselves off to remedy the issue actually doesn't remedy it in the long term, and has a long-term negative impact for some of the collective issues we need to address as a global community." For now, Ardern is not angling to jump back into politics, but she is settling into her new normal – that is, "Being just a normal family." And when she is asked for advice – in a Harvard classroom, or from a world leader – Jacinda Ardern tells them to be kind: "That principle of kindness, it's something we teach our kids. Why shouldn't we role model that in the way that we conduct ourselves in politics? And secondly, if you're putting people at the center of what you're doing, it's a reminder that, actually, the act of being in politics is an act of public service as well. And I think voters need to see more of that." For more info: Story produced by Sara Kugel. Editor: Joseph Frandino.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
What Leaders Should Know When AI Agents Show More Empathy Than They Do
What Leaders Should Know When AI Agents Show More Empathy Than They Do You know something's shifting when people start saying they'd rather deal with a chatbot than their manager. A 2024 survey conducted by Workplace Intelligence and INTOO found that 47% of Gen Z employees say they get better career advice from artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, than from their managers. Why? Because they don't interrupt or sound impatient. They've been trained to keep their tone warm, their timing consistent, and their responses emotionally aware. Meanwhile, some leaders are still replying to emails with quick, cold replies or glossing over people's concerns without really listening. Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa, professor at Columbia and author of Inner Mastery, Outer Impact, shared with me why the way leaders respond matters. He said leadership starts with your inner voice. Not your polished script or rehearsed talking points, but the presence you bring into every interaction. That kind of presence is what defines real empathy. Can AI Agents Deliver Empathy That Feels Real? They are delivering responses that feel emotionally aware enough to shift expectations. AI agents are now used in everything from customer service to onboarding, internal training, and employee feedback. They respond in real time, they don't take things personally, and they don't get flustered. That consistency is changing how people define empathy. When a bot replies with, 'It sounds like you're frustrated, and I want to help,' people feel acknowledged. And while the bot doesn't actually care, it still sounds better than being brushed off by a distracted manager. That's where empathy begins to shift from being a human-only strength to something people expect from technology. Why Are People Starting To Trust Empathy From AI Agents? Because machines respond without judgment. They use reflective phrasing like, 'That makes sense,' or 'Let me make sure I've got this right.' Those responses are becoming the standard. People want that same tone from their managers, not just from their devices. Trust is now shaped by tone and timing. A chatbot that replies promptly and respectfully is often preferred over a human who seems rushed or dismissive. That shift is pushing leaders to become more aware of how they express empathy. How Can Leaders Show More Empathy Than AI Agents? Start by showing curiosity. Ask yourself: when was the last time you considered how your tone affected someone else? AI systems have been trained to sound supportive, and leaders need to take the time to show that same support. Krister Ungerböck, author of 22 Talk SHIFTs, shared a powerful communication tool called 'empathy guesses.' Instead of asking someone how they feel, say, 'Are you feeling stuck or maybe a little discouraged?' Even if you're wrong, they'll usually offer a correction. That correction leads to deeper communication. Real empathy comes from that moment of correction, not just from getting it right. Are You Handing Off Empathy To AI Agents Without Meaning To? This often happens behind the scenes when follow-ups are automated, welcome messages are scripted, and difficult conversations get delayed until someone else handles them. The more this happens, the more employees associate empathy with bots and not with you. Empathy requires paying attention. It's the pause, the thoughtful response, and the willingness to let someone talk longer than expected. Leaders still have the chance to model that kind of connection. How Can Leaders Build Their Empathy Muscles Back Up? Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference, once explained to me how simple phrases can shift everything. He recommends labeling emotion over asking questions. Say, 'It sounds like that was overwhelming,' instead of 'How did that make you feel?' People are more likely to open up when you reflect something they recognize in themselves. AI can replicate the pattern. But a leader can offer context, memory, and a shared history. That's the kind of empathy people remember. What Can You Say To Show Empathy That AI Agents Can't Match? Try saying, 'That sounds like it took a lot out of you,' or, 'Thanks for trusting me with that.' These phrases tell someone they matter. AI doesn't reflect after a meeting. It doesn't lie awake wondering how to repair a strained relationship. You do. That awareness is the core of empathy. How Do You Keep Practicing Empathy When AI Agents Are Getting Better At Faking It? Here are a few ways to stay grounded in human connection: Why Real Empathy Still Belongs To Leaders, Not AI Agents AI agents will continue improving their tone and speed. But they won't notice the subtle shift in a team member's mood. They won't connect the dots between yesterday's stress and today's silence. They won't ask, 'Are you okay?' because they remember how someone looked the day before. The leaders who pay attention to these things, who pause to reflect, who say what's hard to say, are the ones who still build trust. Empathy requires staying present, and that presence can't be programmed. As expectations shift, the question becomes: who are your people turning to when they need empathy? The answer should still be you.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Bodies' Writer-Director Luca Bueno On Latino Representation And Showing The Humanity Within The Immigrant Experience
In the short film drama Bodies, written and directed by Luca Bueno, two LAPD officers respond to a disturbance call at a home located in a neighborhood that has a majority of immigrants and minorities. As the officers investigate the situation, Officer Alvarez (Alonso Garcia) notices cultural clues that suggest something larger is at play. As he grapples with his own Latino heritage and his duties as a law enforcement agent, he begins to reflect on humanity and empathy. Just before his short premieres at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, Bueno talks to Deadline about the plight of immigrants and the importance of Latin representation. More from Deadline LALIFF Sets 2025 Film Festival Lineup With Gael García Bernal & Diego Luna-Produced Doc 'ASCO: Without Permission' To Open Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Sets 2024 Lineup With 'In The Summers' To Open LALIFF Reveals 10 Afro/Black & Indigenous Recipients Of Inclusion Fellowship DEADLINE: What was the inspiration for the short? LUCA BUENO: I feel like, as filmmakers, we have the opportunity to tackle relevant topics, and the immigration topic and the immigration debate is something that I feel like was not only relevant but still is and will forever be as well. The last couple of months and years, we've been getting absolutely bombarded by headlines, numbers and really sensational headlines. And I was like, 'I want to tell a story about this topic, but that really shows the humanity behind it.' It was the people, the humans, the families behind the numbers, the headlines, the misinformation, the gotcha aspect of this whole migration conversation that compelled me to film this. DEADLINE: I was reading that you're a Brazilian-born person who moved to France and then ended up in the States. So, I'm curious: how do you relate to the subject matter? BUENO: I was born in Brazil. My family is full Brazilian to the T, and so very Latin and proud of that. I moved from Brazil to France and then to Monte Carlo when I was eight years old, and I moved back to Brazil when I was 14. And then, at 16, I moved here to the U.S. So, I've always been kind of the immigrant, the new guy, not only in the schools but also in the countries and cultures. We moved to France because of my dad's [Galvão Bueno] work and then back because of that. Then, I moved to the U.S. because I was super passionate about pursuing film. So, this thought of wanting to go somewhere in search of a better life, I completely get that. Even though I'm not in the situation of the people that I depict in the film, I can relate to the burning desire of moving somewhere in search of your dream and a better life for your family. DEADLINE: We chatted prior to the interview about you not liking horror films too much, but it's so funny because there's some horror-style shots in here. Talk about the intention of the way you filmed your short. BUENO: It's true that I'm not the hugest fan of horror, but most especially, gruesome horror. But I've known since I was about six years old that I wanted to be a director. So, I'm passionate about all films. My dad works in TV, my grandmother was an actress, and my grandfather was a director. So, I built those tools in my back pocket for every type of genre. This is a very serious and dark topic in the short. It's very scary. So, using those little horror techniques for directing, I think, worked for this. It's also a film about perspective. There's a little twist to it. And in adding this thriller element, I think it relates to how scary it is for people in that situation on both sides. DEADLINE: How did you find Alonso Garcia to play Officer Alvarez? BUENO: He's amazing. He's from Peru, so he's also Latin. It's funny, though, because I auditioned so many people, and he was, if I'm not mistaken, the first to submit or first three people to submit. And it was a three-month process of finding the protagonist, and he was one of the first. So, I was like, 'This guy's pretty good. He fits everything.' But I wasn't going to commit to an actor after a week of searching. So, I stretched things out. But then, in those months that followed, I was always thinking that no one was as good as him. It was something about the way he was able to express what he was feeling without using words. DEADLINE: Talk more about the lack of dialogue in the script because you do bring up a good point. You absolutely needed someone who could sell that. BUENO: It's about perspective. I feel like having that lack of dialogue, where you would expect there to be a lot of explanation, I leaned away from dialogue because I wanted it to be really noticeable that something was missing. If some people don't like that, that's fine. I wanted it to be really noticeable because it makes people start thinking about, 'Well, if there was dialogue, what would he have said? What would the antagonist, the American officer, have said?' Through that communication of looks, I really enjoy talking to people about how they filled in the lines [with silence and their emotions]. That feeling of did the antagonist let him go. Did he believe that Officer Alvarez didn't find anyone else in the house? There's ambiguity because finding these families [in hiding] never goes the same way. So, leaving an ambiguous ending makes it more universal. One of my inspirations is Denis Villeneuve, the film director of Arrival, Sicario, and Dune. He always says, 'Film has so much; it has image, it has sound, it has angles that kind of tell a feeling.' And so, sometimes, dialogue can be overused. And we have so much to fall back on in film because we have so much. And I kind of wanted to explore that to kind of work my muscles with that. DEADLINE: Let's talk about some scenes. There's symbolism in Officer Alvarez's necklace. He's wearing it openly, and then he hides it after the other officer mentions it. Then, when he comes across the family hiding in the closet, the younger girl has a bracelet that's similar. BUENO: So, the necklace he's wearing, it's something that is prominent in every Latin culture. It has a different name. In Brazil, we have a different name. In Peru, they have a different name. In Mexico, they have a different name, but it's the same. So, it's something that when you see someone wearing it or referencing it, you know. So, it's having him tuck it in, in the beginning, is him essentially putting his badge, professionalism, and duty in front of his culture. And it's him putting his duty in front of his humanity. As the film progresses, as he makes the choices he makes, he's proud of the choice he makes, and he brings the necklace back out and puts it in front of his badge. It's as if he's saying, now it's my culture and humanity in front of my duty. So, it was another way to verbalize that without needing to say anything. DEADLINE: Then there's the scene where he actually finds the family hiding in the closet. There's no words, but there's a lot of stares and reveals. There's a woman holding a fresh newborn baby and blood on the ground. Then you see the desperation on their faces. Unpack that. BUENO: Yeah. It builds out for us to think it's something quite terrible that maybe the guy's hiding, right? So, for sure, it goes from fear to what he might find to maybe a relief that no one's dead and everyone's alive. But then to, wow, I've never encountered something like this before. What am I going to do? What's going to happen to me? The bracelet that the girl is wearing then connects him with them. It's a lot. You're so right. So, what we did is we stitched a lot of different takes together. So, when you find something like that for context, the family in the closet hiding, the homeowner was housing them, and she has given birth, as you said. If you were to open that closet, you wouldn't have one reaction. So many things would go through your head. And so, I was like, 'Let's do many takes. Give me a lot of options, and then we will intercut with the family and when we come back to you. You'll go through the rollercoaster.' So, we made sure to have a lot of different emotions going through his head and a lot of different takes stitched together. 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