What is empathy? I’ve heard it explained as being aware of, sensitive to, and having the ability to vicariously experience the thoughts and feelings of another. Empathy continues to make a difference in people’s lives. Showing empathy in the workplace can start when an employee is first hired or takes on a new role in the organization. When a person accepts a job, they do not do so with the goal of not having the…

My job provides me with a fantastic opportunity to learn from many smart and successful leaders. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Ralph Stayer, owner of Johnsonville Foods, headquartered in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. I was presenting at NCH Healthcare System in Naples, Florida, and he was in the audience. Johnsonville Foods started as a small butcher shop. Today it has more than a billion dollars in annual sales and offers products in more than…

We are short-staffed. It is so hard to find help. These statements are often given as the explanation for a range of issues: why something is taking longer than planned…why response is slower than desired…why business hours are less than they used to be…why people are working more hours than they like…why employees feel overwhelmed…why companies are paying more overtime dollars and at times bringing in temporary workers at a high cost…etc. Taken as stand-alone items,…