Start With Empathy, Not Fear: How Organizational Health Could Have Avoided the UnitedHealth Tragedy

There’s a common misconception that leadership is about power—an iron-fisted approach toward hitting quarterly numbers and “earning your seat at the table.” But true leadership, as many of us have come to learn, transcends profit margins. It’s about the people entrusted to our care.

In the tragic turn of events like the assassination of prominent CEO, Brian Thompson of United Health Group, we’re forced to ask the difficult questions: How did we get here? What was the driving force behind decisions that might have led to such intense hostility or conflict? And perhaps most important: How can we, as leaders, prevent an environment where tensions escalate to violence?

Our decisions ripple out far beyond the corner office. They shape the emotional and psychological climate of entire organizations. If we sow fear and anxiety in pursuit of profit alone, we shouldn’t be surprised to harvest chaos and despair.

The Tie-In: Pat Lencioni’s Organizational Health Model

Patrick Lencioni’s organizational health model emphasizes four disciplines:

1. Build a Cohesive Leadership Team
2. Create Clarity
3. Overcommunicate Clarity
4. Reinforce Clarity

When leadership is laser-focused on the bottom line to the exclusion of people’s well-being, you undermine each of these steps:

• A fractured leadership team cannot effectively encourage each other or hold one another accountable.
• Lack of clarity about mission, values, and direction leaves employees feeling uncertain and disposable.
• Poor communication fosters rumors, frustration, and mistrust.
• And if clarity isn’t reinforced consistently, even the best ideals fade under pressure from daily demands.

In Lencioni’s view, organizational health is the ultimate competitive advantage. Yet it can’t flourish where “profits before people” is the unspoken, unchallenged mantra.

What Is the “Free Working Genius Test” and Why Does It Matter?

A resource gaining popularity in organizational culture circles is the Working Genius Test. Pat Lencioni designed it to identify the types of work we each find naturally energizing and fulfilling. While the official test typically comes at a cost, many teams seek a free Working Genius test alternative or a trial version to get a taste of how these insights can transform collaboration.

Why connect a tools-based approach like the Working Genius Test to issues of leadership accountability? Because understanding your team’s core strengths and struggles is foundational to human-centered leadership. When you know how each member naturally contributes—and where they’ll struggle without support—you can:

• Distribute responsibilities to match people’s genuine strengths.
• Reduce burnout by ensuring individuals aren’t stuck in their “working frustration” zones for too long.
• Foster mutual respect because everyone sees the unique value each person brings.

An organization that invests in its people—through assessments, trainings, and genuine development—builds trust. Trust fosters loyalty. Loyalty guards against the kind of acute resentment that can lead to toxic, even dangerous situations.

Challenging the “Profits Before People” Mindset

Let’s be blunt: Businesses need revenue to survive. However, the relentless pursuit of profit at the expense of organizational health can erode any sense of psychological safety. When employees, stakeholders, or even the general public feel exploited or devalued, moral and ethical lines become blurred.

Imagine an environment where employees are told, in effect, “Profits are more important than your well-being.” Over time, tensions rise. People become disillusioned, lose trust in leadership, and in extreme cases, conflicts escalate. While an act of violence like the assassination of a CEO is tragic and (thankfully) rare, it underscores a fundamental truth:

Leadership decisions—be they good or bad—ripple out into the world and can have very real human consequences.

Accountability: “Why did this happen?”

Asking “Why?” isn’t about public relations spin. It’s about uncovering the deeper purpose behind every choice. When executives put profits first, the “why” might be short-sighted: beating last quarter’s numbers or pleasing shareholders. But if your “why” is anchored in genuine care for people—your employees, customers, and community—your decisions look radically different.

• Why do we cut corners on safety protocols?
• Why do we undervalue the mental health of our staff?
• Why do we fail to give credit to the unsung heroes who carry the day-to-day load?

Reflecting on these questions leads us to better answers—ones that incorporate empathy, unity, and responsibility. The result? A culture where people are seen, heard, and valued. A culture that’s less likely to crumble under ethical strain or catastrophic events.

Key Takeaways for Leaders

1. Lead With Empathy Leadership is a human endeavor, first and foremost. Have the courage to see your people not as cogs but as contributors with hearts and minds.
2. Invest in Organizational Health Adopt models like Lencioni’s and use tools like the Working Genius Test (or a free Working Genius test alternative) to align roles with innate strengths and create genuine collaboration.
3. Practice Radical Accountability Regularly ask, “What is the long-term impact of this decision on our people?” Then be prepared to accept responsibility for the outcome.
4. Communicate Your “Why” Transparency builds trust. Let your team see how and why decisions are made, especially when those decisions are difficult.
5. People Before Profit Profit is necessary, but it’s not the ultimate goal. People are. The bottom line is a reflection of how well you serve those who trust you to lead.

Moving Forward

Regardless of whether a dire story is real or rumored, leadership crises offer a valuable mirror for all of us. They ask: Are we living our highest values? Are we creating a safe environment where people can thrive?

If you’re curious about fostering a healthier organizational culture, start by understanding your team’s Working Genius—it’s an actionable step toward identifying strengths, building trust, and placing people in roles where they can excel. Leadership accountability begins with self-awareness, and there’s no better time than now to reflect on the potential impact of each decision we make.

When we lead with empathy and clarity—when we truly put people before profit—we create workplaces where tragedies (hypothetical or otherwise) have less room to take root. We choose possibility over fear, collaboration over conflict, and a more hopeful future over the status quo.