Why do you think status still matters in business today?

In any organisation, people are motivated by two powerful drivers: status and affiliation. We all want to feel valued (status) and to belong (affiliation). When we lead change, our job is to create the right conditions with empathy for people to move forward. This often means introducing just enough tension to inspire action: the fear of losing status, missing out, being left behind, or not being included.

I think that’s why urgency builds as deadlines approach, and why culture continues to evolve. We are wired to seek connection and belonging within systems that reinforce status and affiliation, over and over again. Empathic leadership doesn’t remove that tension; it uses it thoughtfully. The goal is to help people feel the pull to say yes to growth, to change, and to shared progress.