Right now, some employees are worried about the pace of change as the advance of AI transforms workplaces.
The significant shifts in the tasks workers undertake and the way teams interact comes on top of a slew of other changes, often stemming from 4 and sometimes 5 generations at work together.
The So What
Successful transformation will hinge not on the technology but on the people transformation that goes alongside it. That means the intentional and consistent use of empathy is essential, explains Christine Barton, a BCG managing director and senior partner who leads the firm’s CEO Advisory in North America.
Empathy is not just a soft skill and the expression of sympathy. Cognitive empathy is an actionable strategy based on understanding different perspectives, building trust, and finding ways to motivate people. And Applied Empathy is a documented method for bringing this sort of empathy into organizations and teams.
When done well, it helps teams surface conflict and fears, and actively seek out solutions after hearing the diversity of opinion.
“People naturally resist change and overemphasize the downside risks, especially when they have little ownership of what is unfolding and can’t see the benefits,” Barton explains.
“It is essential for leaders to understand their employees’ context and pain points, seek to address the concerns they are hearing, and present a compelling narrative about why change is required.”
Central to that narrative will be demonstrating how employees will spend more time on the human and value-creating activities of their role once AI carries out the more repetitive tasks.
Cognitive empathy often requires a significant shift in leadership style and change management strategies.
A previous BCG study has highlighted that, although many companies excel at tracking and responding to shifts in customer behavior, many business leaders struggle to grasp how their own employees feel. As a result, they tend to focus on the business or financial rationale at the expense of the human impact, something the report’s authors call “a critical blindspot”.
“Many people aren’t afraid of the AI tools or technology. They are afraid of being left behind or becoming irrelevant,” says Michael Ventura, who advises BCG on empathetic leadership and also developed the Applied Empathy methodology.
To be an effective leader during times of change—and therefore to gain the competitive advantage when it comes to AI transformations—requires systems and methods to meet people where they are, he adds.
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Now What
These are some of the ways that leaders can activate cognitive empathy to drive progress:
- Having intention to understand more perspectives from different functions and stratas in the organization to incorporate in decision-making and conviction.
- Being vulnerable and voicing their own reservations or questions.
- Reflecting on where the tensions and ambiguities sit within the team, or what it is that the leadership team doesn’t understand about how people are feeling.
- Creating spaces of trust where people know they can express their fears without being judged.
- Orchestrating an experience or peer group to foster more sharing and learning.
- Testing and reacting to possible solutions.
In addition, leaders should seek to:
Create an organizational culture of cognitive empathy. The CEO plays a central role at the top of the organization in modeling values and behaviors. By demonstrating these qualities with their direct reports and by working directly on this so-called “first team” , the CEO establishes a standard that can be cascaded through the organizational pyramid. This culture then takes root as leaders at all levels are encouraged, recognized, and rewarded for exemplifying empathetic leadership. It’s also possible that leaders may get clarity and conviction on cultural priorities, like cooperation, transparency, and mutual accountability by viewing things through a cognitive empathy lens. It may also help with restructuring, talents moves, and succession planning.
Find ways to measure the impact of empathetic behavior across the organization. This could include tracking recruitment practices to see whether the firm is attracting and retaining the kind of talent that helps build and sustain the right culture. It may also include assessing team performance to understand whether empathetic leadership is contributing to stronger, more cohesive teams and increased cooperation. Regular pulse checks on employee engagement are another important tool, asking whether people feel understood, supported, and valued. It’s important to monitor how these perceptions evolve over time. Over the long term, these indicators reveal the effects of empathy on organizational health and performance.
