3. Empathy as a Vehicle to Authentic Leadership and Followership in Latin America: A Practitioner Perspective

This chapter examines whether leaders in Latin America use empathy as a vehicle toward authentic leadership, whether empathy affects their followership and followership commitment, and the implications of national culture. The role of empathy is also explored regarding whether national culture influences the adoption of empathy, examining similarities and differences across Latin American country cultures. Initial findings suggest a relationship in which empathy emerges to serve as a vehicle for authentic leadership in Latin America. Leaders who adopt empathy as part of their leadership approach appear to favorably influence the bond between leader and follower, follower engagement and productivity, and follower commitment to the organization and leader. This chapter indicates that empathy results in a leadership advantage.