Bula vinaka and welcome to Cultural Fit where we talk about how to create stronger Pasifika businesses and people. In this week's edition, we will look at how empathy can become your superpower.

I had recently ran a workshop on emotional intelligence (EQ) and why we need to focus on developing this. During the research for this presentation, I read articles on how empathy has become a highly sought-after trait in the business world. Organizations are also getting in on the action with empirical evidence and numerous studies consistently highlighting the correlation between a positive workplace environment and improved business performance outcomes.

By fostering an atmosphere where employees feel understood, valued, and supported, companies unlock the potential for increased creativity, collaboration, and resilience. This, in turn, translates into higher levels of engagement, reduced turnover rates, and, ultimately, a more robust outcome.

The bottom line is this, developing and utilizing empathy can improve things drastically for you both in the workplace and your personal life.

Here are some articles that emphasize why you need to add empathy to your repertoire.

Emotional Intelligence for the Future

This article by Daniel Goleman does an incredible job at explaining why emotional intelligence will become increasingly sought-after because of the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

A well articulated article on why having emotional intelligence as a leader could benefit you! While technical skills and expertise are undoubtedly important, it is emotional intelligence that often distinguishes truly exceptional leaders from the rest.

Leading with Empathy - Balancing Authority and Emotional Intelligence

How to lead with empathy is a skill in itself! This article is an incredible read into what empathy would actually look like every day.

The modern leadership landscape is evolving. Today, the most effective leaders are those who can wield authority while also exhibiting a high degree of emotional intelligence, particularly empathy.

In other news:

1. I've recently created a TikTok account in the hopes of putting out more bite-sized content that would relate better to a younger audience. I'd love to invite you to follow me on TikTok: @alfredtora. I'd also love to hear your suggestions on topics to talk about and content to create! Check me out here.
2. New Blog Post! In "How A Growth Mindset Is Changing My Life", I write about my growth mindset journey and the opportunities that have presented themselves because of it. I'm extremely grateful for the people that have helped me get to this point and I wish that more people were introduced to the growth mindset. Click here to read.
3. New Presentation: Personalities and Predictions. In a recent move, I joined with Selfless Fiji to do a few online workshops. Although new to this, I've enjoyed doing this and I hope to continue doing it. Here is the link to my first workshop. Please contact me if you'd be interested in having an online workshop as well!
4. Talanoa Booking and Appointments! If you would like to set an appointment for a talanoa on topics such as leadership development, organizational psychology, indigenous psychology, etc, then use this link: https://calendar.app.google/kc5ekBfofmU1DbQQA.

I hope you've enjoyed this edition of Cultural Fit. I strive to always put out the best content I can and so I'd love to hear any suggestions that could help make this newsletter better.

Vinaka vakalevu and Moce Mada!