Importance of Empathy in Leadership

Given how empathy is a natural part of the human condition, our ability to demonstrate it to those around us is very crucial. Making an effort in this regard will help you shift the focus from the story that’s in your mind to the actual message that’s being presented.

What role does empathy play in leadership? Why does it matter?
“When we understand our team we have a better idea of the challenges ahead of us.”
When it comes to the keys for successful leadership, empathy is rarely included in the list. However, instilling a sense of empathy in how you lead those under your care offers a number of advantages:

• Empathy allows us to feel safe with our failures because we won’t simply be blamed for them.
• It encourages leaders to understand the root cause behind poor performance.
• Being empathetic allows leaders to help struggling employees improve and excel.
• Empathy allows leaders to build and develop relationships with those they lead.

To accomplish this, leaders need to understand the inner purpose that drives each of their employees and aligning that with their organization’s goals. This requires that leaders be more open about their ideas and thinking and asking their employees about their thoughts on it. By spending more time learning about the needs of their employees, leaders can set the tone and approach taken by their employees to achieve their organization’s goals.
This in turn will give you the following advantages.

• You gain a greater awareness of the needs of your employees.
• Empathy allows you to create an environment of open communication and more effective feedback.
• It allows understanding the problems employees face and how to help them resolve them.
• Being empathetic with your employees helps to validate what they’re going through.

Remember, nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.

“If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.”