Empathy is powerful. It is certainly innate but, arguably, also a teachable disposition for effective leadership that distinguishes Moses from other leaders, whether ancient or modern. One would be mistaken, however, in assuming that to feel empathetic means to reveal weakness, to be focused solely on feelings or to be completely ineffectual as a leader. In fact, just the opposite is true. Indeed, Moses’ empathy deserves to be emulated by contemporary leaders. However, empathy is not the same as sympathy, which is just relating to, or agreeing with, the feelings of others. The Financial Times Lexicon holds that the essence of “empathic leadership is the ability to understand, relate to and be sensitive to customers, colleagues and communities.” To emphasize its meaning even more, empathic leadership contrasts with sociopathic leadership, defined as “arrogant, self-centred, insensitive and manipulative.” Hence, empathy indicates that the leader is genuinely aware of the feelings or concerns of others, understands how other people are affected, and then is able to apply this knowledge in order to take action to address any problematic situation. Empathy, in other words, is an honest, humane and ultimately crucial leadership behavior.

The Importance of Empathy

Empathic leadership is not necessarily an easy approach for leaders to effortlessly demonstrate, since it tends to contradict the myth of the heroic leader, and because it is not about egocentrism but a leader's humility. It is not about achieving personal agendas, but about helping communities— not to mention customers and colleagues— lead more desirable and satisfying lives. Humility is indeed a key attribute of Moses’ empathic personality and leadership style. Through the figure of Moses as a leader, it is evident that empathy means understanding the needs of others. According to Erica Brown, educator and director of the Jewish Leadership Institute at the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, “Empathic leaders have curiosity about others. They listen with their whole face. They embody the pain of others. They are not afraid to be vulnerable. They do not back away from pain or conversations that prove emotionally entangling. They are big enough to make themselves small.” From the descriptions the Bible relates, Moses clearly demonstrates each of these capacities.