Microsoft CEO Nadella: Empathy Is Not a Soft Skill

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is redefining what it means to be empathetic. In an interview, he dismissed empathy as a soft skill, labeling it instead as 'the hardest skill we learn'.

Nadella believes that being empathetic allows leaders to connect with their staff and customers on a deeper level. This connection enables innovation by meeting the unmet needs of customers. According to him, design thinking is actually a form of empathy.

As the CEO of Microsoft, Nadella has spoken about how his experiences as a father of a child with quadriplegic and cerebral palsy have shaped his perspective on empathy. He credits his wife's empathy for inspiring his own.