In a field dominated by eclectic leadership styles, leaders have the capacity to influence worker experiences and organizational outcomes. This study examines particular leadership traits that may influence the overall organizational environment. Specifically, the study proposes that empathy is significant for effective leadership. Eighteen leaders in various industries participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their practices and perspectives. The results delineate a compilation of emergent themes as well as data findings regarding specific areas of inquiry. Five major categories were found regarding empathy as an aspect of 21st century leadership: industry-based perspectives, generational demographics, technology, employees as people first and workers second, and the link between empathy and productivity. Additionally, four major categories were found in regards to how empathy is established in organizational culture: training programs/workshops, organizational success measures, daily communication habits/interaction, and work activities/traditions. The results indicate that empathy is an essential trait for 21st century leadership and beyond.
","abstract_html":"<p>In a field dominated by eclectic leadership styles, leaders have the capacity to influence worker experiences and organizational outcomes. This study examines particular leadership traits that may influence the overall organizational environment. Specifically, the study proposes that empathy is significant for effective leadership. Eighteen leaders in various industries participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their practices and perspectives. The results delineate a compilation of emergent themes as well as data findings regarding specific areas of inquiry. Five major categories were found regarding empathy as an aspect of 21st century leadership: industry-based perspectives, generational demographics, technology, employees as people first and workers second, and the link between empathy and productivity. Additionally, four major categories were found in regards to how empathy is established in organizational culture: training programs/workshops, organizational success measures, daily communication habits/interaction, and work activities/traditions. The results indicate that empathy is an essential trait for 21st century leadership and beyond.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Terrasi, Elizabeth Mary"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Communication, Media and Theatre Arts","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Jeannette Kindred, Ph.D., Chair","Don Ritzenhein, Ph.D.","Nick Romerhausen, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-03-25T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-03-25T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z","subjects":["Empathy","job satisfaction","leadership","corporate culture","Leadership Studies","Organizational Communication"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/623","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Jeannette Kindred, Ph.D., Chair","Don Ritzenhein, Ph.D.","Nick Romerhausen, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Terrasi, Elizabeth Mary"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-01-14T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication, Media and Theatre Arts"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Empathy","job satisfaction","leadership","corporate culture","Leadership Studies","Organizational Communication"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/623"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In a field dominated by eclectic leadership styles, leaders have the capacity to influence worker experiences and organizational outcomes. This study examines particular leadership traits that may influence the overall organizational environment. Specifically, the study proposes that empathy is significant for effective leadership. Eighteen leaders in various industries participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their practices and perspectives. The results delineate a compilation of emergent themes as well as data findings regarding specific areas of inquiry. Five major categories were found regarding empathy as an aspect of 21st century leadership: industry-based perspectives, generational demographics, technology, employees as people first and workers second, and the link between empathy and productivity. Additionally, four major categories were found in regards to how empathy is established in organizational culture: training programs/workshops, organizational success measures, daily communication habits/interaction, and work activities/traditions. The results indicate that empathy is an essential trait for 21st century leadership and beyond.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Leaders who care: Exploring empathy as an essential trait in 21st century corporate leadership"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Jeannette Kindred, Ph.D., Chair","Don Ritzenhein, Ph.D.","Nick Romerhausen, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Terrasi, Elizabeth Mary"],"dc:date.available":["2016-01-14T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In a field dominated by eclectic leadership styles, leaders have the capacity to influence worker experiences and organizational outcomes. This study examines particular leadership traits that may influence the overall organizational environment. Specifically, the study proposes that empathy is significant for effective leadership. Eighteen leaders in various industries participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their practices and perspectives. The results delineate a compilation of emergent themes as well as data findings regarding specific areas of inquiry. Five major categories were found regarding empathy as an aspect of 21st century leadership: industry-based perspectives, generational demographics, technology, employees as people first and workers second, and the link between empathy and productivity. Additionally, four major categories were found in regards to how empathy is established in organizational culture: training programs/workshops, organizational success measures, daily communication habits/interaction, and work activities/traditions. The results indicate that empathy is an essential trait for 21st century leadership and beyond.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/623"],"dc:subject":["Empathy","job satisfaction","leadership","corporate culture","Leadership Studies","Organizational Communication"],"dc:title":["Leaders who care: Exploring empathy as an essential trait in 21st century corporate leadership"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication, Media and Theatre Arts"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z"}