As a leader, it’s important to not only have a clear vision and strategy for your organization, but also to be able to connect with and understand your team members on a deeper level.
Empathy is the foundation of strong leadership and can be demonstrated in two ways: cognitive empathy, or asking yourself “If I were in their position, what would I be thinking right now?”, and emotional empathy, or “Being in their position would make me feel…”.
By using these techniques to step into the shoes of your team members, you can gain a deeper understanding of their needs and challenges, and better support them in their work. But the benefits of empathy go beyond just improving individual relationships.
Here are four ways that demonstrating empathy can benefit your organization as a whole:
Empathy helps engagement: When team members feel understood and valued by their leader, they are more likely to be engaged and invested in their work.
Empathy helps conflict resolution: When leaders are able to understand and appreciate different viewpoints, they are better equipped to resolve conflicts and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Empathy helps innovation: A culture of empathy and understanding encourages open communication and allows team members to bring new ideas to the table without fear of judgment.
Empathy helps work-life balance: By showing empathy towards the challenges and commitments that team members may be facing outside of work, leaders can help create a more balanced and supportive work environment.
Empathy helps inclusivity: Demonstrating empathy towards diverse perspectives and experiences helps create a more inclusive and welcoming culture within the organization.
Lead From Within: Great leaders cultivate empathy to lead with compassion and success, understanding its impact on the people they lead.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.