A powerful look at the "price" of empathy. Researchers Daniel Batson and his colleagues conducted an experiment known as the "Good Samaritan" study (building on an earlier one by Darley & Batson). They had a group of seminary students prepare a talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan. Then, they told them they needed to walk to another building to deliver it. The key: They told some students they were late and had to hurry. They told others they had plenty of time. On the path, they all encountered an actor slumped over, coughing and groaning, clearly in need of help. The results were stark. Of the students who were not in a hurry, 63% stopped to help. Of the students who were told they were late, only 10% stopped. It wasn't that the "late" students were bad people, they were literally on their way to talk about being helpful. The crucial factor was time pressure. Their empathy was short-circuited by a feeling of urgency and a competing goal. This is a profound reminder for the workplace. Busyness, tight deadlines, and constant pressure can create "empathy blinders," causing us to walk right past colleagues who are struggling. It's lack of bandwidth and not lack of character. How do you think we can create an environment that gives people the "space" to be empathetic, even when things are urgent? Have you ever felt this tension yourself?