The core psychological risk is that compassion without accountability can justify neglect, control, and the normalization of suffering. When suffering is framed as virtuous and endurance as meaningful, real problems remain unsolved and criticism is dismissed as immoral or ungrateful. Psychology therefore emphasizes outcomes, consent, agency, and accountability over intentions because when goodness becomes immune to critique, that’s where harm hides most easily.

Emotionally “intelligent” people - who are really just intelligent - are exceptionally good at reading others. They spot patterns and inconsistencies, see through corporate BS, sense the emotional temperature of a room, and notice avoidance, half-truths, and carefully rehearsed cover stories. They recognise the masks people wear at work, and they usually know when someone is lying long before it’s obvious to everyone else.

For years, “coaching culture” has been marketed as the silver bullet of organizational life. Train managers to coach their direct reports. Help them uncover what motivates people. Align work to those motivations. Coach them to grow their skills. And, in theory, watch performance soar.