Empathy and Purpose: Keep the Project at the Center

​Empathy is often seen as a soft skill but make no mistake—it is one of the most challenging and essential tools for effective leadership.
 
Jon Micheels Leiseth, Theatre B’s artistic director, offered a powerful reminder of this during his Creative Mornings session titled Threads. He shared a personal story of feeling miserable while navigating the diverse needs of his collaborators while adjusting to new directing challenges. A mentor’s advice helped him refocus: the project itself is the baby.
 
This advice shifted his perspective from managing people’s emotions to birthing the work. It allowed him to align his skills and energy with the purpose of the project.
 
In both creative and business settings, empathy must be used wisely to avoid frustration. Otherwise, compassion overload can lead to a resource drain.

​Understanding Challenges of Empathy
 
Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s experience while maintaining self-other differentiation (Håkansson Eklund & Summer Meranius, 2021). It allows leaders to recognize the needs and interests of others, which is crucial in aligning a team’s efforts. However, the very nature of project management—bringing together diverse talents, ideas, and personalities—demands significant emotional energy, which can be exhausting.
 
Jon’s story illustrates a common challenge: too much focus on individual needs can lead to fatigue, a phenomenon known as compassion fatigue in professions like healthcare and social work. Project leaders must recognize their own limits and develop strategies to recharge while ensuring the project remains the central focus.
 
Keeping Purpose as the North Star
 
One way to mitigate empathy fatigue is to anchor everyone to the project’s purpose. Every participant should clearly understand what the project aims to accomplish and why it matters.
 
For example, when working with a client on a building redevelopment, our team found that revisiting the project’s purpose multiple times was necessary to ensure all parties were making decisions aligned with the goals. Consistent touchpoints kept everyone on the same page and allowed for adjustments as needed.
 
Defining Roles and Responsibilities
 
Balancing empathy with the project’s focus also requires role clarity. Misalignment often arises when responsibilities are ambiguous. Every team member should understand not only their role but also what they are not responsible for. This prevents unnecessary conflicts and ensures focused contributions.
 
When collaborating with multiple vendors who offer similar services, defining clear roles becomes even
more critical. When people contribute in areas where they excel, the entire project benefits.
 
Making Decisions Through the Lens of Purpose
 
Conflicts are inevitable in any collaborative effort. However, refocusing on the project’s purpose can help navigate disagreements productively. When tensions arise, ask: “What serves the project best?” This reframing turns conflicts into opportunities for realignment.
 
Additionally, establishing objective decision-making criteria ensures that choices remain in service of the project’s goals rather than individual preferences.
 
Fostering a Collaborative Mindset
 
Successful collaboration is not about unanimous agreement—it’s about co-creating solutions. Encouraging open dialogue and valuing each participant’s contribution builds trust and enhances collective problem-solving.
 
Keeping the project at the center requires ongoing practice throughout the project lifecycle. It demands intention, humility, and a shared commitment to the greater good over individual desires. When done well, the results are greater than anything any one person could achieve alone.
 
Empathy is a powerful tool, but like any resource, it must be used wisely. By keeping the project’s purpose at the core, defining roles, and creating clear decision-making structures, leaders can ensure that empathy fuels progress rather than hinders it.
 
Ultimately, a well-balanced approach to empathy and project focus leads to stronger collaboration, more effective outcomes, and a deeper sense of shared accomplishment.
 
–Rachel