Christ University hosted a game-changing event on November 20, 2024, as part of its Corporate Interface series, where Almas Jiwani, the President Emeritus of UN Women Canada NC and CEO of the Almas Jiwani Foundation, captivated the second-trimester MBA cohort with her inspiring speech on Strategic Leadership with Empathy: Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Leaders. Her message resonated with students, offering valuable insights into how empathetic leadership is the key to building a successful, inclusive, and socially responsible business environment.
Strategic Leadership with Empathy: The Heart of Future Business
Almas Jiwani’s speech addressed an increasingly relevant question: how can today’s business leaders shape tomorrow’s organisations? The answer lies in strategic leadership with empathy. Ms. Jiwani highlighted that business leadership is no longer just about profits and growth; it is about creating inclusive workplaces that prioritise human-centric values while driving business success.
Why Empathetic Leadership Matters Now More Than Ever
In a world of rapid technological advancement and cultural shifts, the traditional models of leadership that focus solely on profitability are no longer sufficient. Empathetic leadership is crucial to addressing the growing demand for gender parity and social justice in business environments.
Empathy, in a business context, is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, particularly employees, clients, and stakeholders. It creates an atmosphere where individuals feel valued, which in turn, boosts morale, productivity, and long-term success.
Jiwani’s approach to leadership includes several key components:
- Emotional Intelligence: Empathetic leaders possess strong emotional intelligence, enabling them to recognise and respond to the emotions of others in a way that fosters mutual respect.
- People-Centric Leadership: Successful leaders focus on both people and profits. They create environments where employees are encouraged to thrive, resulting in improved collaboration, innovation, and job satisfaction.
- Inclusive Decision-Making: A leader who listens to diverse perspectives will make more informed and equitable decisions that benefit the entire organisation.
Jiwani’s Insights on Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Leaders
During her engaging session, Ms. Jiwani invited feedback from the MBA students, encouraging them to reflect on how they could apply empathy in their own leadership journeys. This interactive element set the tone for a dynamic conversation on leadership traits. Here are the central insights she shared:
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Empathy as a Core Leadership Skill: Jiwani stressed that empathy is not a soft skill but an essential leadership capability. Leaders must foster a sense of community and understanding within their teams to drive better results.
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Empathy in Strategic Decision-Making: Empathetic leadership requires a long-term view. When making strategic decisions, leaders must consider the impact on people—employees, customers, and society at large—not just the financial bottom line.
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Practical Approaches to Empathetic Leadership: Ms. Jiwani shared real-world examples of leaders who have demonstrated the power of empathy in driving business growth and solving conflicts. Her examples included leaders in tech, healthcare, and non-profits, all of whom successfully integrated empathy into their organisational cultures.
- Tech Leaders: Some of the best-known tech CEOs leverage empathetic leadership to foster inclusive environments that promote innovation.
- Healthcare Leaders: In healthcare, empathetic leadership improves patient care and team collaboration, which are critical for success in the sector.
- Non-Profit Leaders: In the non-profit world, empathy helps leaders connect with their communities and drive meaningful social change.
The Role of Empathetic Leadership in Gender Parity
One of the most powerful themes of Jiwani’s speech was the role of empathetic leadership in advancing gender parity in the workplace. She discussed how empathetic leaders can use their influence to break down gender barriers and promote equality within organisations.
According to Jiwani, “Empathetic leadership is vital for creating inclusive workplaces where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive. Gender parity is not just a moral imperative—it is also a business necessity.”
Her compelling insights were supported by empirical case studies of leaders who leveraged empathy to resolve conflicts and foster innovation within their organisations, particularly around gender equality. These case studies were practical and highly relatable for the MBA cohort, offering them clear strategies for incorporating empathy into their own future roles.
Interactive Engagement: Empowering Students to Lead with Compassion
Throughout the session, Ms. Jiwani made it clear that leadership is not a one-way street. It involves collaboration, communication, and mutual respect. Rather than merely delivering a monologue, she actively engaged with the audience. This participatory approach made the speech feel like an interactive masterclass in leadership.
Students were encouraged to ask questions, share their experiences, and discuss how they might integrate empathy into their leadership styles. This created a dynamic learning environment that allowed attendees to connect with the material on a deeper level.
Dr. Jain Mathew, the Dean of the School of Business and Management at Christ University, commented on the success of the event, saying, “We invited Ms. Almas Jiwani because of her unique ability to blend visionary leadership with deep empathy and inclusivity. Her speech was a game-changer for our students, who left feeling empowered and ready to drive transformative change.”
Key Takeaways for the MBA Cohort
The students left the event with a renewed sense of purpose. They were inspired to embrace empathy in leadership as a guiding principle in their future careers. Ms. Jiwani’s message highlighted several core takeaways:
- Empathetic leadership can transform organisations and foster greater innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability.
- Gender equality in the workplace can be achieved through compassionate leadership that supports diversity and promotes equality.
- Future business leaders must be skilled not just in strategy, but in recognising the human aspect of business.
Students now understand that they, too, have the potential to shape the future of business by adopting a leadership style that integrates empathy, collaboration, and social responsibility.
Conclusion: The Future of Business Leadership
The session with Almas Jiwani at Christ University was a landmark event that will influence the next generation of business leaders. By focusing on strategic leadership with empathy, Ms. Jiwani equipped students with the tools to become more compassionate, inclusive, and effective leaders in the complex business world. Her empowering message will undoubtedly inspire these future leaders to drive change, not just in their organisations, but across the global business landscape.
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