Overheard a VP say empathy is overrated in leadership meetings

Last Tuesday, I sat in on a cross-department call and one VP said empathy just slows down decisions. That thinking is why we have 40% turnover in our mid-level managers. Has anyone else run into execs who treat soft skills like a weakness?

2 comments

2 Comments

price.jake24d ago

Man, that VP sounds like they've never had to actually manage people through a rough patch. I watched my old boss drive three good team leads out in six months because he thought empathy was "coddling." A simple "I see you're overwhelmed, what do you need?" would have kept them around. Instead, he'd just stare at his spreadsheet and say "figure it out." That turnover cost the company way more than any decision he ever "sped up." Feel for you sitting in that room hearing it.

wesleypatel24d ago

Buddy of mine lost his whole dev team after his boss told them to "stop being so dramatic" during a crunch.