Why empathy in leadership matters
Have you ever considered infusing your leadership with more empathy? Especially if you’re navigating the many challenges of remote work, we hope that you’re paying extra mind to self-love and self-care right now.
Leading with heart boils down to leading with empathy.
This core skill is so important because it provides us with the means to better understand the feelings and experiences of others– something that is more important than ever with the many sources of stress we’ve experienced as a result of the pandemic. This Forbes article relays some of the most powerful results of demonstrated empathy in the workplace, which include increased engagement, inclusivity, productivity, and work-life satisfaction.
At Leadology, we know that one of the most direct paths to becoming a more empathetic leader is through our strengths and strengths-based development. This kind of transformative work allows you to not only better understand your own needs, but the needs of your team. By understanding and providing your employees with the emotional support that they need to succeed, leaders can then build a collective sense of trust. With this kind of supportive atmosphere established, leaders strengthen the relationships they have with their employees and consequently, the relationships employees have with one another– all of which leads to greater collaboration, improved productivity, and a deeper appreciation for one another.
The way you best demonstrate empathy in leadership relates to your individual strengths and talents.
An empathetic leader makes their team feel seen and cared for. But what Strength-Based development teaches us is that there are many ways to demonstrate empathy depending on your unique talents. As this Gallup recently reported, “Successful leaders are those who know how to use what they've got. That is why they're effective.” While investing time and concern for your employees is universal, how a leader arrives at empathy can and should vary.
Here’s a few examples (from the above article) of how managers can infuse empathy into their leadership:
A leader with Individualization can instantly spot the unique qualities of others and adapt his approach to make the type of connections that most resonate.
A leader with Woo (which stands for "winning others over") needs to get to know others and can't stand an arms-length boss-individual contributor dynamic.
Leaders with strong Analytical strengths may not be able to feel what others feel, but they can quickly figure out what others are feeling and why.
Leaders with Communication can use words to understand others and to help others understand themselves.
A leader with Relator has the strength for creating deep relationships.
Wondering your fastest route to more empathetic leadership?
Join our 21-Day Strengths-Based Challenge. In this recently released challenge, you’ll receive daily reflection questions to learn more about your own leadership style that you can immediately apply in the workplace.
Signed up already? Write back and let us know how it’s going! We’d love to check-in and hear more from you.
