'Sympathy is fine, but empathy is not a good quality for leaders in business'

The Money Show's Stephen Grootes is joined by Richard Mulholland, founder of AI company Too Many Robots.

Empathy has become a buzzword not only in society generally, but also in business.

This quality of basically feeling what other people feel, is not a good one for leaders, remarks presentation specialist Richard Mulholland (founder of AI agency Too Many Robots).

"Sympathy is fine. Compassion is fine. But empathy can stop leaders from making hard decisions that are bad for a person but good for the business."

Richard Mulholland, Founder - Too Many Robots

Mulholland uses a practical example to illustrate the difference between sympathy and empathy as he understands it.

In the first instance, when somebody falls into a hole, you'll throw them a rope.

In the case of empathy, the bystander would climb into the hole themselves and share the person's pain, he says.

"I think that's a problematic standpoint for humans in general - I would argue that if you had a look at the rise in mental health stats and the rise in the use and glorification of the word 'empathy', I think you'll probably find that they correlate."

Richard Mulholland, Founder - Too Many Robots

Mulholland sketches a scenario where an employee is having a hard time because of a divorce, and their work suffers as a result.

Where do you draw the line between being understanding, and requiring accountability, when the situation drags on?

"There is still a job to be done and a leader owes it to the rest of the people on the team to make these tough decisions."

Richard Mulholland, Founder - Too Many Robots

"I think organisational empathy is required, not necessarily individual empathy... and I do realise that this is not a popular point of view."

Richard Mulholland, Founder - Too Many Robots

To hear more of this important conversation, listen to the interview audio at the top of the article