Empathy as a leadership trait

We live in one of the most tumultuous eras in modern history. Leaving aside the parlous state of global politics, our post-pandemic world is grappling with the fall-out from ‘The Great Resignation’, the rise of artificial intelligence and a host of other social and economic challenges.

It is perhaps no surprise that we are increasingly interested in all the things that make us ‘human’ – our capacity to create, invent, innovate, care…

As leaders, our own capacity to connect with our people and to inspire them has never been more important. Empathy in leadership isn’t a new concept. But what has changed is the nature of our people and our workplaces. Our people are looking for new levels of ‘humanity’ and new ways to connect with their work.

In this context, empathy, or the ability to perceive and understand the needs of others, is more than ever a critical leadership trait.

• Empathic leaders inspire loyalty. Through careful listening and understanding, empathic leaders create genuine bonds with others. People feel ‘seen’ by these types of leaders.
• Empathy cultivates communication. When you act with empathy, you create a safe space for others to speak openly.
• Empathy fosters mutual understanding. As the old adage goes, seek first to understand and then to be understood. Listening comes naturally to empathic people who tend to have a genuine interest in what others feel.
• Empathy makes it safe to fail. It does not seek to apportion blame which can stifle creativity and innovation.
• Empathy doesn’t value one above others. This sense of equity allows and inspires struggling employees to improve and excel.
• Empathy creates more engaged, happy employees. When leadership demonstrates to employees that they matter, they tend to reciprocate. They feel more appreciated and satisfied in their work.

As with leadership, generally, empathy is not a fixed personality trait. It can be learned.

1. By being present. Empathic leaders have a knack of making a person feel as though they are the only one in the room. They are present and not distracted by other people, mobile phones, etc. Wherever they are, they are 100% there.
2. Cultivating emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence (EQ) begins with an indepth knowledge of self and a willingness to show genuine vulnerability as a leader and as a person.
3. Asking clarifying questions. Asking questions to more fully understand a person helps to make others feel heard and seen. Examples: “Could you tell me more about that?” “What are your thoughts on X?” “What I’m hearing you say is X. Is that correct?”
4. Listening more than speaking. As a general rule, the Pareto Principles is a good one to apply here – listen 80% of the time and speak just 20% of the time.
5. Understanding perspectives. To quote Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird: “You can never understand someone unless you understand their point of view, climb in that person’s skins, or stand and walk in that person’s shoes.” There are salient messages for leaders in this simple statement about the importance of considering issues from multiple perspectives.

Work with me!

Soft is the new hard! Great leaders pay attention to the so-called ‘soft skills’, although there’s nothing ‘soft’ about them! My leadership development programs are genuinely people-focused and will equip emerging and established leaders with fresh insights into what constitutes great leadership.

Email karen@o2advisory.com.au to find out more.