Trust and Empathy in the Workplace

On October 19th, Dana Energy hosted a talk titled “What’s Going on in Another’s Mind? Trust and Empathy in the Workplace,” presented by Dr. Azarakhsh Mokri, a distinguished professor of psychiatry and behavioral science expert. Organized by our Culture Development team, the session focused on mental health and explored the foundations of understanding personality, empathy, and trust in work environments.

Dr. Mokri emphasized that understanding people and making decisions based on their nature and personality is often fraught with ambiguities and complexities that cannot be ignored. He noted that humans are unpredictable, and attempts to categorize them based on fixed stereotypes, such as personality assessments based on birth month or birth order, can be misleading and dangerous. These approaches, known as “pop psychology,” can actually work against building trust and empathy.

Trust and Empathy in the Workplace

Mokri further explained that trust is one of the essential elements for creating successful relationships in the workplace. Citing scientific studies, he mentioned that trust is initially developed during a person’s upbringing, transmitted through parents. Additionally, high intelligence, along with social, educational, and economic status, can enhance trust in individuals. Contrary to common belief, highly intelligent people are more inclined to trust others.

In this context, Mokri pointed out that socially collectivist countries, such as Iran, tend to have lower levels of trust compared to more individualistic societies. Surprisingly, the higher the degree of individualism in a society—such as in liberal democracies—the greater the sense of trust. He added that institutions, like the judiciary and police forces, play a significant role in fostering public trust in societies.

The Dark Triad in Organizations

One of the session’s key points was the discussion of the “Dark Triad” in organizational environments: Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Dr. Mokri explained that these personality traits tend to manifest more in environments where power, money, and fame are highly valued, and they can have detrimental effects on trust and empathy within organizations. These traits can also lead to burnout—a state where individuals experience emotional exhaustion, a negative attitude toward their job, and a feeling of ineffectiveness. This triad, attributed to the well-known behavioral scientist Christina Maslach, suggests that the feelings of illness or depression linked to burnout are not genuine but simply a result of this condition.

Burnout and Its Relationship with Trust

Continuing the discussion, Dr. Mokri addressed the connection between burnout and trust. He explained that even with a good boss or a passion for the job, burnout can stem from weak interpersonal relationships. This condition can erode trust and empathy between colleagues.

Mindreading and Blindness to Intentions

Another key topic of the lecture was the concept of mindreading and common mistakes in judging people. Referring to a phenomenon called “mind blindness,” Mokri explained that people often mistakenly believe they can accurately guess the intentions and thoughts of others. These faulty mindreadings can damage relationships and erode trust. Dr. Mokri stressed that judgments about a person’s character should be based on their circumstances and environment rather than their inherent nature.

The session concluded with the presentation of several scientific studies, demonstrating that people’s behavior is often a result of environmental factors rather than their inherent traits. Based on these findings, it was suggested that the approach to colleagues’ behavior should move away from stereotypical judgments and instead focus on the external factors influencing their actions. This shift in perspective can improve workplace relationships and strengthen trust and empathy in professional settings.

Dr. Mokri concluded by recommending that human resources departments should avoid analyzing individuals’ personalities and behaviors based solely on their inherent nature and instead focus on the external and environmental influences they encounter.