“Our Rare Strength” Thought Leadership Series
During the course of my 30+year career, I have worked on teams that lead from their heart, and I’ve worked on other teams that… well, just didn’t. I’ve noticed that when you stack your team with caring people, they have an easier time achieving success, and it is far more fulfilling. When I consider candidates for roles at Sobi, I look for people who are motivated to help others – to help patients, to assist healthcare providers, and to support their coworkers. We want to build teams that lead with empathy, who see healthcare work as a higher calling, and who are rewarded when success is not about them but about helping and supporting others.
Our job is to step into the shoes of someone living with illness or injury, so we can better understand the struggles and barriers they may face and find new ways to improve their treatment journey. For me, that’s the definition of empathy. Empathy is all about taking the time to understand other people, the journey they're on, their perspective, and then having the deep drive to help.
It played a big role in attracting me to this industry and I rely on it daily as the president of Sobi North America.
When we take time to listen to and empathize with another person, or stated differently - to get out of our own head and see the perspective of others, it breeds trust and builds confidence.
At Sobi, we often refer to empathy as care. Care is one of the core values that guide our work as a specialized biopharmaceutical company. Sobi’s focus on rare diseases calls on us all to apply empathy and understanding to the needs of very small populations of very sick people. We must show up with empathy and understanding or we won’t go far enough to solve the problems patients face.
A lot of good can come from putting others first. I’ve seen positive and lasting impact grow from empathy. It’s easy to get lost in life’s ups and downs. However, the things we struggle with are magnified for patients when they go through the same thing. Doctors and nurses working the frontlines of care are constantly reminded of the need to put patients first. It’s critical that we put in the same effort to do this, too.
To lead with empathy is rewarding. It’s a mindset you have to build. We talk about care at Sobi. We define it as acting in the best interests of our patients, our colleagues and our company. There’s a price in knowing you work each day to help another person.
For an organization’s culture to be successful, that empathetic mindset also needs to extend beyond the patients we serve. I’ve always found that knowing and caring for the people you work with can build relationships, enhance motivation and cultivate trust. And quite frankly, it gives you the perspective you need to succeed.
Perspective is powerful. We’re creatures of habit. We have blind spots and tendencies we fall back on if we don’t check ourselves. Expanding our perspective can help us collaborate with greater understanding and flexibility. When we take time to listen to and empathize with another person, or stated differently - to get out of our own head and see the perspective of others, it breeds trust and builds confidence.
Teams that can recognize diverse perspectives — and then trust, understand and care for each other — have all the building blocks they need for a healthy organizational culture. Once you have that, you should always be able to deliver on your goals.
There’s a story I like to share about my own growth journey toward being a more empathetic leader. When I was 28 and new to management with a team of 25 people, one member was exemplary in every measure except that she frequently showed up late to work. This was an important metric, so I explained that I would have to document her tardiness if it continued.
Her response offered me a learning moment I’ll never forget. She said, ‘I understand. I’ll be better. It takes me an hour and a half and two buses to get to the office. I’m a single mom with two sons. If my mother can’t watch my children, I have to figure out another plan.’
That really opened my eyes to see that every experience is different. This wasn’t an employee who was being lazy or careless. It was someone whose entire life was driven by balancing a demanding job and the demands of parenting without a partner. We established a more flexible schedule and she remained a top performer on my team.
Organizations that fail to embrace empathy can end up with people who are afraid to open up. There are policies and expectations, but I still need to get to know my team holistically and consider the different factors that influence their behavior and success. People have a lot going on. I’m interested in promoting a culture that prioritizes balance and seeks ways to support employees so they can perform at their best and with pride in their work.
I grew up with 11 siblings and was taught to be grateful for what we had and to recognize that many people come from a position with more challenges than us. When I think about how those lessons have served me, I always come back to how empathy helped make genuine connections regardless of where we come from or our backgrounds.
I also coached football for underprivileged youth on the southwest side of Chicago. Despite the challenges, the kids in this program always showed up and gave their all. And you better believe me and my fellow coaches showed up to support their hard work. I really connected with these kids. It didn’t matter that we came from different places in life. They just wanted somebody to believe in them and help develop them into winners and leaders.
Now, I take this same approach with all of my teams, carving out time to connect with people to learn about what’s going on outside of work. Colleagues have said, ‘I really appreciate that you asked me about my family and my life.’ It sounds so simple, but you cannot lead with empathy if you're not purposely creating a connection with another human being.
It might come across as hyperbolic to give empathy that much power. But think about it from an employee’s perspective: Leaders who care are an undeniable motivator. At Sobi, we’re fortunate to be able to channel our empathy out in the world, too. The work we do can transform the lives of patients who often feel unseen and without hope. That's awesome stuff. As long as we keep building a team that recognizes this, our work can be transformative.
We've been given a challenge and a charge to treat patients living with rare and severe diseases. When we each stay grounded in that, asking ourselves ‘how am I aiding those around me and finding new ways to make life better for the people we serve?’ then we’ll know we’ve done a great job for patients, for our colleagues and our community. That’s the great power of empathy. It does change lives, and at Sobi, it gives us the rare strength to succeed at what we do.