Empathy in Leadership
Moving beyond words and into action
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How empathetic have you been this week? And how well have you understood and responded to the emotional needs of those around you?
Empathy in leadership is a fundamental skill that leaders need and that can drive deeper connections, create loyalty, and ultimately, lead to better results.
Leaders who prioritise empathy are often more attuned to the needs of their team, able to anticipate challenges, and better equipped to support their employees through both personal and professional obstacles.
But empathy isn’t just about being nice.
It’s about genuinely understanding your team’s experiences and emotions, which can be a powerful tool for driving engagement, retention, and productivity.
Study after study show that employees are increasingly valuing workplaces where their well-being is prioritised. The global shift towards more remote and hybrid work arrangements has made the need for empathetic leadership even more critical.
In fact, a study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that empathetic leaders are viewed as better performers by their bosses. They’re also more likely to have higher-performing teams.
But empathy, while natural to some, can be challenging to maintain in high-pressure environments where leaders are juggling multiple priorities.
Because empathy requires effort, patience, and time. It’s about actively listening, observing, and responding to the subtle cues that indicate how someone is truly feeling. And in a remote working context too, those cues can be harder to pick up, requiring leaders to be even more intentional in their approach.
For many great leaders who thrive on logic and moving fast, being empathetic takes work.
But empathy is an absolute must-have for anyone in a leadership role today. It builds trust, creates strong relationships, and an environment where people feel valued and understood. And all that, equals an place where people can perform at their very best.
So as you go about the rest of your day, think about how you can lead with empathy and make it a core part of your leadership style.
Here are five strategies to help you lead with a touch more empathy in the days ahead.
Think: As with all things, it’s not what you say, but what you do that counts. Empathy isn’t just about understanding what others are feeling; it’s about taking action based on that understanding. It’s one thing to recognise that a team member is overwhelmed, but it’s another to proactively offer support, adjust deadlines, or redistribute workloads.
Take a moment to reflect on these three questions:
How well do you understand the emotional states of your team members, right now?
What steps do you take to ensure that your team feels supported, especially during challenging times?
How can you better incorporate empathy into your decision-making processes?
Role model: Empathy can be contagious. When leaders model empathetic behaviour, it sets a tone for the entire organisation. It encourages others to act with compassion, understanding, and care in their interactions.
Think about the last time you showed empathy towards a colleague or team member. How did that impact your relationship? What ripple effect did it have on your team?
Consider the following:
How often do you take the time to check in on your team members, beyond just their work tasks, and dedicated one to ones?
What systems or practices do you have in place to ensure that empathy is a part of your daily leadership approach?
How do you model empathy in high-pressure situations?
Stop saying this: “I understand how you feel” can sometimes come across as dismissive, especially if the actions that follow don’t align with those words. Empathy isn’t just about saying the right things; it’s about doing the right things.
Reflect on the language you use when interacting with your team. Are you listening to respond, or are you listening to understand? What changes could you make to ensure your words and actions are aligned with an empathetic approach?
Read: Empathy in leadership isn’t just a soft skill, but a critical capability that can lead to tangible business outcomes. But you don’t need to start big. In fact the best habits are built from small cumulative steps, taken consistently over time. And there is no better time to start than today. So ask yourself:
What one small, empathetic gesture could you make today that could have a big impact on your team?
Share: Empathy is a two-way street. Make it clear to your team that you’re open to understanding their needs and challenges, and encourage them to do the same for you.
How transparent are you with your team about the challenges you face as a leader?
What have you done to create an environment where empathy is a shared value?
What difference could it make if your team felt empowered to show empathy not just upwards, but across all levels of the organisation?
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