From Shakespeare to ChatGPT: The Evolution of Language, Empathy, and Leadership Communication in Digital Workplaces

Abstract

In the present article, the evolution of leadership language and empathy has been discussed since the classical and early modern rhetorical traditions to digitally mediated and AI assisted communication at the work place. It is a synthesized summary of evidence of empathic digital leadership, the usefulness of tone and clarity in text-based communication, limitations of mediated interaction, the development of AI support messaging and implications of global English and hybrid human AI authorship using a narrative integrative review of the recent empirical and conceptual research. The analysis indicates that the role of empathy at the middle of trust, psychological safety and engagement has to be now coded consciously in ongoing written and platform-based communication. Generative AI is able to improve clarity and consistency but cannot overtake moral ownership, and can become a normalization of synthetic empathy without critical use. The article suggests a human AI empathic leadership communication model, which finds AI as a contingent complement of, but not the replacement of, responsible leadership voice. It ends by providing practical suggestions that can be made to leaders and organizations and identifies the priorities on empirical study about AI mediated leadership communication.