From Empathy to Action | Cultivating Altruistic Leadership for the Future of Work

From Empathy to Action: Cultivating Altruistic Leadership for the Future of Work

In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, leadership is being redefined by values that prioritize human connection, empathy, and compassion. This shift is not just a trend but a fundamental change that aligns with the needs of modern organizations and their workforces. As companies increasingly focus on building more meaningful, human-centered cultures, concepts like altruism and compassion are gaining prominence. These principles, as explored in this article, are more than just aspirational – they are critical drivers of employee engagement, talent attraction, and ultimately, business success.

In this article, we delve into the powerful example set by the Japanese healthcare group Eisai, whose corporate philosophy centers on altruism and empathy in action, and how this approach can be a model for organizations aspiring to elevate their leadership practices and make a positive societal impact.

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 Altruism in Action by Japanese healthcare group, Eisai

Empathy – and to a certain extent compassion have entered the lexicon or language of business in a major way over the last few years. It forms one of the components in my ACE model which advocates for more human leadership and ways of working (ACE – Altruism, Compassion and Empathy). In my book Expert Humans, I shared an example of empathy together with “altruism in action” in Asia: Eisai

The Japanese healthcare group, Eisai, is an excellent example of a company aspiring to do great things. It also gets close to what I would consider a good example of corporate altruism.

Here is the exposition of the company’s hhc (“human health care”) philosophy. Note the sentence: “….it is important for each employee to first get close to patients and see the situation through their eyes to learn to pick up on thoughts and feelings that might not necessarily always be expressed in words” (a clear reference to empathy):

“Eisai’s corporate philosophy includes the realization of human health care (hhc).
Based on a clear understanding that patients as well as their families and consumers are the key players in healthcare, we seek to have a sense of pride in providing benefits to such persons. This philosophy is summarized by the term “hhc.”

We believe that in order to truly consider the perspectives of patients and their families, it is important for each employee to first get close to patients and see the situation through their eyes to learn to pick up on thoughts and feelings that might not necessarily always be expressed in words. It is this concept that is the starting point for all of Eisai’s corporate activities. Accordingly, the Eisai Group recommends that all of its employees spend 1% of their working hours with patients.

Our corporate philosophy is understood and internalized by each employee within the Group, both in Japan and overseas. This understanding is then shared and implemented in the daily business activities of all Eisai employees, and serves to effectively transcend nationalities, national borders, and gender and age.”

And here is where altruism – an “obligation to society” comes in, where they “make their response available to the world before anyone else”:

“We fulfil our obligation to society by considering the perspectives of patients, their families and the global community overall, developing a response to their needs, verifying the social benefits of this response, and finally by making this response available to the world before anyone else. This is the “hhc” that Eisai aims to realize.”

I think Eisai sets the bar high. It’s a role model for companies who are becoming more aware of their place in society and how they might want to change it for the better. It’s also worth noting that the logomark of Eisai’s “hhc” is written using the handwriting style of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), who – as Eisai mentions, “Made enormous contributions to the development of the nursing profession and public health….[a] prominent figure, who we regard as having played an immense role in the history of modern-day nursing”.

This articulation of altruism is something that many find highly attractive when they are considering moving to a new organisation – and working for a company like Eisai. In the Future of Work, companies that are able to communicate this aspect of altruism and care for society and the planet – will surely win when it comes to getting the best and most committed talent available out there.

Key take-away

As leaders, fostering altruism and compassion in your leadership approach can significantly impact your organization’s culture and performance. To do this, start by prioritizing empathy and understanding in your daily interactions. Encourage open dialogues where employees feel valued not just for their skills but for their humanity.

However, simply advocating for these values is not enough. Building a culture of altruism and compassion requires intentional capability development and a commitment to culture transformation. Leaders should invest in training and development programs that focus on emotional intelligence, human-centered leadership, and team collaboration. Simulations like those offered by Miki Island can be particularly effective in this regard. They provide experiential learning opportunities that allow teams to practice empathy, compassion, and collaborative problem-solving in a safe environment. These simulations help leaders and teams internalize these values and develop the skills necessary to apply them in real-world situations, ultimately contributing to a more compassionate and effective leadership style.

To position your organization for success in the future of work, make the development of altruistic leadership and culture transformation a top priority. By doing so, you’ll not only improve internal team dynamics but also attract and retain top talent who are increasingly looking for purpose-driven organizations.