Sep 5, 2019
Chances are, empathy is not the first thing you think about
when you consider the ideal mix of skills and attributes of
American soldiers. Yet the military is beginning to appreciate how
their officers need to understand the interests, values, and
experiences of people up and down the chain of command, and of
their foreign partners as well. Justin Bokmeyer is a graduate of
West Point Military Academy who, after serving in Iraq, returned to
help the school develop the next generation of military
leaders.
He summoned Michael Ventura, who was employing a concept of
“applied empathy” to advise corporate clients and officials in the
Obama administration. The two were a bit of an odd couple — the
straight-laced former cadet and the long-haired creative agency
executive. But together they saw an opportunity to educate military
officers on how to deploy empathy on the battlefield.