The Hindu Business Line : Strike a balance between empathy and performance

Performance orientation and empathy are not antithetical forces. One needs to be able to manage one's job well even while being empathetic to the needs of the people and the system. In fact, performances can get enhanced when people also know that the system encourages empathy as well.

A crisis of any sort naturally brings forth the best in all those who are involved. Differences are laid aside, albeit temporarily, so that the team can row together and help resolve the crisis at hand. A case in point is a tragic accident, which occurred when a group of young software engineers went white water rafting.

Carried along by the excitement and adrenaline, one group went too far and one of the young engineers went overboard and despite brave attempts could not be saved. Even his body was not recovered for more than two days. In those two days, with no prompting, an informal group of his colleagues took over all aspects of coordinating the rescue operation. In those 48 hours, there were many heroes and they were all motivated by a selfless need to serve their colleague's family in their hour of loss.

Once the memories of this tragic event started fading, the bonds that bound them to a common purpose also started fraying; petty issues were blown out of proportion. It was clear that without a continuing effort at promoting causes that would bind them together, such empathetic behaviour would probably be largely confined to stressful, and possibly tragic, situations.

In order to build a culture that is driven by empathetic behaviour at all times, it was necessary to nurture regular and on-going activities that would naturally encourage such behaviour. It became necessary to focus a searchlight on the many underprivileged groups of citizens who are struggling to lead a life of dignity amidst degrading circumstances. Out of this was born an initiative called the HelpNet.

This initiative was meant to be a voluntary effort where a small group of people could pool some contributions and help a group of needy people on a steady and consistent basis. HelpNet was an initiative seeded by a senior person in the company, but entirely run by the younger employees . They came up with the idea of supporting primary education and also identified the school that they would like to support.

At this stage, it became important to introduce some formal structure to the initiative so that the long-term goal of participative and empathetic behaviour could be addressed. A delicate and facilitative intervention was called for.

The intervention was to make sure that the administrative tasks were shared equally by the group (so that everyone knew the pain involved) and also to ensure that the help is given as an expression of empathy and not as a means of assuaging feelings of guilt normally harboured by the `haves'.

The experiment was a glorious success and has engendered an enduring mindset, which the participants have carried with them wherever they have gone in their careers. This has also had the effect of binding young people from different parts of the company to a common cause.

There were unforeseen consequences, which started unfolding soon thereafter. The time for performance rolled by as it always does each year. Some of the heroes, who had selflessly worked long hours to help their colleague, had slipped badly when it came to delivering on their responsibilities to the company.

The managers had to take a difficult call and most of them were naturally reluctant to do so. However bitter the pill, it had to be swallowed. The managers were asked to judge people by what they were supposed to deliver after giving due allowance for the extra burden that some people had carried in helping out during the crisis.

Suddenly, people who were held up as models of selfless work were now to be classified as under performers in their jobs.

Performance orientation and empathy are not antithetical forces. One needs to be able to manage one's job well even while being empathetic to the needs of the people and the system.

In fact, performances can get enhanced when people also know that the system encourages empathy as well. Caring should be an essential part of a performance-driven organisation. Such a culture promotes increased cohesiveness and loyalty to the company. This can be a major attrition fighter, something to be prized when the competition for human resources is fierce.

(The writer is corporate advisor to 3i Infotech Ltd and Manipal Education and Medical Group)

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