Abstract
This chapter explores the benefits and barriers to making higher education more empathetic and the connections between empathy and leadership. Embedding empathy in classes and in teaching leadership benefits students' holistic development and strengthens diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The interwoven connections between empathy, listening, leadership, and social justice issues are explored. Developing and strengthening empathy levels in students and within campus departments increases awareness of and commitment to important social justice issues. This chapter outlines personal, environmental, and institutional barriers that prevent students from fully engaging in empathetic leadership. Effective interventions to disrupt and reduce these barriers are discussed, along with ways educators may struggle to adopt and implement activities that promote the advancement of empathetic skills. Educators can and should serve as role models for students by demonstrating empathetic leadership within and outside the classroom. Future implications for higher education are shared.
TopIntroduction
When educators and higher education administrators commit to leading with empathy, they set the foundation for caring, inclusive, and compassionate campus.
Higher education educators strive to create and improve teaching strategies that best support the advancement of students' holistic well-being. This includes developing campus and classroom environments that promote connectivity among students through shared empathy and meaningful interactions with others (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2015). However, institutions of higher education are at a pivotal point in history. Students, community members, employers, and government officials are demanding increased accountability and transparency from campus administrators and educators. Two out of three Americans are dissatisfied with the current higher education system; citing rising financial costs, lack of accessibility and affordability to a high-quality education, and decreased faith in administrators (New America, 2019). Furthermore, declining enrollment and retention numbers in combination with widespread budget cuts has pushed educators to improve their pedagogy are rising topics of conversation.
In addition, more focus is being placed on preparing students to positively interact and engage with individuals from diverse communities and populations. This focus is designed to keep up with the current demands of the ever-changing workforce and technological advancements. Many higher education institutions have adopted social justice and inclusion competencies within their overarching mission and values. This encourages students to use their education and positionality to enhance equity within their communities (ACPA & NASPA, 2015). Preparing students to become ethical and productive citizens upon entering the workforce requires well-developed social competence skills including empathy. In conjunction with empathy competencies, employers look for well-developed leadership abilities to aid in the successful advancement of the company’s organizational goals (National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE], 2021). Building mutual trust amongst employees is one-way leaders can advance these goals (Jonsdottir & Fridriksdottir, 2019; Kluger & Zaidel, 2013). These skills cultivate positive, collaborative, and cooperative organizational cultures and they are essential for exercising leadership in challenging situations. Additionally, employees feel more connected with their larger organizational environments and encourages their active participation in bystander behavior (Cartabuke et al., 2019; McDonald & Messinger, 2011; Rogers, 1959). If leaders wish to strengthen relationships, they must embrace and encourage shared empathy and vulnerability.
Although extensive research stresses the criticalness of empathy, United States college students are reporting lower levels of empathy. The commitment to upholding positive social values and strengthening levels of moral character have diminished in academic departments, including students enrolled in business majors (Traiser & Eighmy, 2011). This is partially attributed to social media trends, including the rising amount of false and misleading information online (Konrath et al., 2016; Twenge et al., 2008). Given the pressures to increase empathy as discussed above, implementing classroom activities and engagement opportunities to build students’ levels of empathy are more important than ever. Empathy is a learned skill that can be taught and improved through practice and engagement, therefore providing educators an opportunity to teach and build empathy in their students.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Student Identity Development Theories: Psychosocial theories that describe the social construction of students’ identity development. This includes how the college environment and interactions with others can facilitate or diminish the exploration of how they view themselves, others, and their worldview.
Leadership: A broad term that is both an area of research and a skill and/or ability of an individual, group, or organization to influence other individuals, teams, or organizations. There is debate on the definition of this term.
Neurotypical: Refers to people who do not have neurological or development disorders such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Neurotypical people often assume their experience of the world is the only one.
Neurodivergent: Refers to differing mental or neurological functions compared to what is considered typical or normal.
Empathetic Listening: A process that involves feeling with and thinking with someone, sharing behaviors, and inferring the thoughts, attitudes, and thinking styles of others.
Historically Excluded/Marginalized Populations: Groups of people and communities that experience discrimination, harassment, oppression, and exclusion because of unequal power dynamics.
Listening: Hearing what other people are saying and understanding their meanings. Listening is complex and involves affective, cognitive, and behavioral processes. Listening is a useful skill for many problems including conflict resolution.
Empathy: Understanding another person’s thoughts and feelings from their perspective while maintaining one’s own perspective. Additionally, holding unconditional positive regard toward that person(s).
Empathy Blockers: Barriers that prevent a person from demonstrating or strengthening their empathetic skills.
Neurodiversity: Refers to how the human brain varies regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood, empathy, and other functions.
Social Justice: Equal access to wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
Prosocial Bystander Behaviors: Individuals who witness situations that could lead to violence, discrimination, or harassment, recognize their responsibility to intervene, and step-in to reduce or end the behavior/incident(s).