Promote Yourself to C(hief) E(mpathy) O(fficer)
60 years ago when Catalyst was founded, jobs were listed in the classifieds by gender and included traits considered as masculine and feminine. 60 years ago, those ads were legal. Can you imagine!? Sadly, maybe you can. Catalyst is a not-for-profit organization that advances women in the workplace, supplying through research and training to Fortune 500 companies that are committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and I am honored to support their team with marketing strategy during my current corporate assignment, especially to experience the launch of their Chief Empathy Officer Campaign, in partnership with CEO Magazine.
This campaign challenges the bias that certain traits, including empathy are reserved for women and bring to the forefront conversation about how having and reaching empathy have made us all more comfortable, innovative and productive within the workplace. Women are capable of being strong, and assertive without being labeled as aggressive and men who are sensitive and empathetic are not weak. Especially within the workplace. We all benefit from having the freedom to possess and interchange between qualities we all possess, feminine and masculine energies.
This year, Catalyst celebrates 60 years, the year of The Great Reimagining and continues to promote workplaces that work for women - which work for all of us. You can participate in this campaign too just in time for International Women’s Day (March 8) and #BiasCorrect conversations around empathy.
Is it important to you to have empathetic leaders, or to be one? Jump in!
Leaders at every level can promote themselves to CEO, Chief Empathy Officer and let the world know empathy is an integral characteristic for every organization and its leaders, no matter their gender. Empathy in the workplace shows up as a flexible work schedule, understanding the needs of working parents, equal pay, women in roles of leadership, including women of color as well as prioritizing mental health in a stress free workplace. Of course empathy can be demonstrated in many other ways, considering it’s truly about being caring, and considerate.
Want to promote yourself to CEO? Take the empathy quiz on Catalyst’s website and use their photo uploader to create your own CEO Magazine cover. Don’t forget to tag @CatalystInc in your posts and use #BiasCorrect #IWD22 and #Empathy in your hashtag mix to join in.
Also! Share your empathy story! And how you’ve experienced, witnessed or benefitted from empathy in the workplace, or life in general. Let’s get more CEO’s out here! Tap in now through March 8th!
My Empathy Story
Recently when I shared with a friend and colleague that I was overwhelmed emotionally and mentally and wanted to seek a therapist to help me maneuver though my personal life and fears she offered me transparency and told me she’d just earlier that day had her first appointment with her therapist and understood where I was completely.
I let her know that up until recently I felt being transparent would signal a sign of weakness, and for a professional woman who takes pride in showing up confidently, I was hesitant in risking the idea that being out of sorts personally would overshadow my work. Our conversation let me know that I wasn’t alone and her empathy was evident when she listened to me and shared her own experience and concerns with compassion.
Letting me know that I wasn’t alone and that we’d figure it out and be great together (and could be, despite of everything!) was a great moment to have with a leader and gave me space to relax and be myself completely. Ultimately we were able to have a moment that empowered one another. Empathy is necessary in the workplace and the world needs many many more CEO’s who put people first!
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