In Japan, there is the concept of Amae: the quiet trust that one is held in relationships, even when vulnerable. This cultural motif strikes at the core of what high performers often overlook: empathy is not a soft skill, but a performance lever. Those who perceive others with precision navigate conflicts more quickly, build strong teams, and recover emotionally more efficiently. Empathy creates connection – and connection is a biological buffer against stress.

Empathy is multidimensional. It encompasses, on one hand, mentalizing Mentalizingthe ability to recognize the thoughts, intentions, and perspectives of others, and on the other hand, emotional resonance emotional resonancethe ability to empathize with the feelings of others. Both together enable accurate interpretation of situations and appropriate responses. An important counterpart is narcissistic vulnerabilitya vulnerable form of narcissism characterized by high sensitivity to criticism and reactive negative affect, which can undermine empathy. Relevant for high performers: empathy is trainable, much like a muscle. It improves social decision-making quality, conflict tolerance, and team flow – central factors for health, energy, and sustainable performance.

Empathic competence acts like a psychosocial immune system. Studies show that empathy training can reduce negative affect reactions in challenging interactions and enhance the quality of professional relationships ^[1]. Conversely, self-centered, narcissistically tinted behavior amplifies the link between perceived dominance or coldness from others and one’s own negative mood – a pattern that burdens teams and chronicizes stress ^[2]. Reading-based interventions enhance the mentalizing component of empathy, improving social accuracy – a skill that reduces misunderstandings and thus minimizes friction in daily life ^[3]. Moreover, intercultural learning formats increase confidence in conversations about cultural differences, strengthening psychological safety and therefore performance in diverse environments ^[4].

A pilot course using improvisational theater for health professions demonstrated that short, focused training can improve interprofessional empathy in practical contexts. After 15 hours, participants showed significant increases in patient-related empathy dimensions such as being accommodating, explaining, helping, and planning; at the same time, personal strain decreased. In interviews, students described better spontaneous responsiveness and more positive professional relationships – effects that extended beyond the workplace ^[1]. A randomized reading intervention compared literary fiction with non-fiction and science fiction. The result: only literary fiction increased mentalizing, that is, the precise grasping of others’ thoughts and intentions; pure emotional resonance did not change. This supports reading training as a low-threshold way to sharpen perspective-taking – especially valuable in complex, information-rich interactions ^[3]. Finally, an intercultural curriculum in nursing education showed no strong overall effects on empathy scores but a clear increase in self-confidence in interactions across cultural lines. In practice, this confidence counts: those who feel secure ask questions, clarify misunderstandings, and build sustainable relationships – a foundation for team health in diverse organizations ^[4].

- Open conversations emotionally: Briefly and concretely name your own feelings (“I’m feeling tense because…”) and reflect what the other person is expressing (“Sounds like you’re frustrated about…”). This reduces personal overload in emotional situations and strengthens connection ^[5].
- Read 20 minutes of literary fiction each day: Choose works with rich inner perspectives. The goal is to train perspective shifts and enhance your mentalizing precision in daily life ^[3].
- Take an improv or theater class: Exercises like “Yes, and…” or status changes promote spontaneous empathy, clear communication, and resilience under pressure – skills that directly contribute to team and leadership situations ^[1].
- Seek weekly conversations across cultural boundaries: Coffee talks with colleagues from other countries or communities. Focus: curious questions and active listening. This boosts your self-confidence in diverse settings ^[4].
- Reduce self-centered reaction patterns: Pay attention to moments when perceived dominance or coldness from the other triggers immediate negative affect. Take a brief pause, then check your perspective (“What might their goal be?”) – this helps dampen the narcissistic vulnerability loop ^[2].

Empathy is a trainable competitive advantage for health and high performance. Start this week with three micro-steps: read literary fiction for 20 minutes daily, practice “Yes, and…” once in a meeting, and consciously name a feeling in a conversation. Small routines, big impact.