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An empathetic understanding of the “other” dawns.
Current management school curricula pay inadequate attention to the cre-
ation of empathetic, grounded individuals. Schools tend to focus on teaching
business knowledge and related skills and have left deeper, philosophical discus-
sions to the humanities colleges. But in a world that is battling large-scale eco-
logical destruction and shocking inequities, this approach is neither tenable nor
morally conscionable.
Empathy is innate among humans, but it often takes an immersive real-life
experience to bring it to the surface. The world needs business managers who
have this sort of em pathy — people with courage and the ability to fight battles
on behalf of the weak. As countries grapple with poverty, inequality, and injus-
tice, it’s imperative that corporate leaders take on the challenge of cre ating a more
equitable, sustainable society. But this can happen only when there is deep-seated
attitudi nal change. Management schools must find creative ways to bring about
this change. Experiential learning is one of the most effective tools that we can
use, because the direct experience of adversity is powerfully transformative.
By incorporating experiential courses, management schools can become cen-
ters of values-driven learning, encouraging students to introspect, question busi-
ness models, and derive meaningful paths for themselves and their companies.
Such experiences can help students think not just about how to make a living,
but how to live life. +
Deepa Krishnan
is an entrepreneur, educator, and
social worker. She teaches at S.P.
Jain Institute of Management and
Research in Mumbai.