Why You Should Practise Empathetic Leadership
What Is Empathetic Leadership?
Empathetic Leadership – What is a vital leadership competency that is often neglected? Empathy! In our increasingly apathetic society, empathy management skills take more weight and importance today. Effective leadership today requires a strong balance of technical knowledge and soft skills, such as empathy management skills.
Citadel Search works hand-in-hand with many leaders. We have witnessed firsthand the rising importance of cultivating empathy skills in the workplace. The power of empathetic leadership in driving organisational success cannot be denied!
Empathy skills involve the ability to perceive, understand, and share the emotions and perspectives of others. With empathetic leadership, you can foster a positive and productive work environment. Empathy for leaders is of increasing importance!
Characteristics of Empathetic Leadership
What does empathetic leadership entail? Wondering how to demonstrate empathetic leadership at work? Citadel Search has compiled a list of the key qualities of effective leadership with empathy. Here are some positive attributes of empathetic leadership that you can begin implementing in the workplace:
1. Active Listening
Think of the last time you felt heard in the workplace. How did your Leader respond to make you feel that way?
Effective leadership requires good listening skills, so leaders can empathise with their team. However, listening is more than just hearing out the speaker’s words. Empathy for leaders means actively understanding their thoughts and emotions. One of the key characteristics needed for empathetic leadership is active listening. Pay attention to the speaker’s body language, tonality, and the emotions behind their words.
Do not just hear them – listen to them! When practising empathetic leadership and active listening, suspend any judgement or assumptions you may have. We are all prone to biases. Nevertheless, during empathetic listening, we should approach the conversation with an open mind.
Demonstrate that you are actively engaged in the conversation by asking clarifying questions. These include questions that summarise what the speaker has just said, or questions that prompt the speaker to add onto what they have said. This makes the speaker feel heard and validated.
At Citadel Search, we emphasise paying attention to not only what is said, but what is left unsaid!
2. Emotional Intelligence
Practising empathetic leadership also requires a higher level of emotional intelligence. A good marker of strong empathy skills includes self-awareness and the ability to recognise and understand the feelings of others. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are adept at recognising subtle cues and nonverbal signs.
Strong practitioners of empathetic leadership possess the ability to accurately sense and gauge the emotional states of their team members. By being empathetically responsive, leaders can build trust within the team. This allows them to foster a positive emotional climate with high team morale.
Become a trusted leader for your team. Put in effort to demonstrate compassion towards them. Practise empathy management skills by understanding and acknowledging the struggles and challenges your team members may face. Empathetic leadership encompasses intentionally taking the time to get to know your staff. When you build bonds on a personal level, you build rapport and a sense of connection.
One way to uncover your empathy management skills is to take the Emotional Intelligence (EI) test by Daniel Coleman. This test measures your Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills. Taking this test could shed light on your grasp of personal Emotional Intelligence.
A candidate once shared with Citadel Search his experience with an extremely short-fused boss who frequently yelled at and terrorised staff in the office. His boss’s emotional self-awareness and self-control were so low and so aggressive, he would tear others down without batting an eye. Days later after defusing, he would apologise to staff members, but the damage was already done. The negativity and major morale issue in the office caused many staff members to take their careers elsewhere, leading to high turnover for the department.
The emotional scars caused by an unempathetic boss can take years to heal for some. This underscores the importance of Self-Regulation in developing empathetic leadership. As leaders, practising self-regulation and recognising how we can impact others creates a more supportive working environment. When we treat others with genuine concern, we can foster a working culture where people don’t just want to stay in the job, but perform in the job as well!
3. Flexibility
The ability to adapt is no longer an option, but a requirement for good leaders to thrive. Change is an inherent aspect of any dynamic working environment. Being flexible enables leaders to respond adeptly to unexpected situations. By embracing change rather than resisting it, empathetic leaders uphold the team’s morale and guide them through transitions with poise.
Emotional flexibility is also critical to being a good leader. Leaders will be able to recognise and effectively manage their own emotions, empowering them to respond empathetically to the emotions of others. Emotional flexibility is a paramount pillar of empathetic leadership. It ensures leaders can recognise each individual’s own set of unique strengths and weaknesses. With this, leaders can remain receptive to different perspectives and conflicting viewpoints.
Leaders can then take different approaches tailored to each team member’s learning style and preferences. Personalised guidance is an effective leadership tool to facilitate the growth and career success of each team member. With this characteristic of empathetic leadership, leaders can cultivate a sense of trust and inclusivity within the team. This thus contributes to higher morale and productivity.
Is Empathy a Skill or a Trait?
Empathy can manifest as both a skill and a trait.
We all possess the innate ability to be empathetic. While inherent to our nature, some individuals naturally exhibit a higher propensity for empathy.
However, like any other skill, empathy can be nurtured and cultivated. Through targeted coaching and development initiatives, one can develop and enhance their empathic abilities. Therefore, empathetic leadership can be trained to set your employees and organisation up for success.
This puts the constant debate on whether empathy is trainable to a rest. Empathy is a vulnerable skill that can be practised and developed.
Want to hone your empathy skills? You can start by being mindful of your relationships with others. When you’re talking to someone, try imagining and picking up the other party’s state of emotions. Sit with them in their feelings. Work through them together instead of simply trying to drag them out of it.
Why is Empathy for Leaders Important?
The significance of empathy for leaders goes beyond the positive impact on relationship and team dynamics. Empirical evidence shows that leaders with strong empathy skills are less likely to engage in unethical conduct that could harm stakeholders. Thus, empathetic leaders tend to make more responsible decisions (Cohen, 2010; Dietz & Kleinlogel, 2014). Empathy directs us to treat others the way we treat ourselves, thus broadening our self-centred concerns to embrace others.
In today’s complex and interconnected world, leaders face a multitude of ethical dilemmas and moral challenges. To navigate this, empathy management skills are paramount. The ability to understand and appreciate the perspectives and concerns of others therefore becomes a crucial component of ethical decision-making. With empathy management skills, leaders are more considerate of the long-term implications their actions have on stakeholders. Thus, empathetic leadership results in well-informed decisions, keeping the organisation’s interests in mind.
Empathy for Leaders is Often Overlooked
Regrettably, empathy for leaders often goes undervalued. In many traditional hierarchical working models, emphasis is placed on achieving results and maximising efficiency. The significance of interpersonal relationships and empathy management skills thus fade into the background.
A lack of employee engagement and job satisfaction leads to an unconducive and unproductive working environment. Without empathetic leadership, employees may feel uncomfortable expressing their ideas and concerns. They may fear judgement or reprisal. As a result, leaders could potentially miss out on valuable opportunities to inspire employees. A lack of empathetic leadership hence causes employees’ potential to remain undiscovered.
Conclusion
Effective leadership is not just about producing results, but about fostering a positive team and working culture. The key to that? Empathetic leadership.
People are at the heart of any organisation. As leaders, it is our duty to build a working space where employees can grow and thrive. Be sure to practise empathy and genuinely connect with your employees to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all. Develop an open culture built upon trust and collaboration, where diverse viewpoints are respected.
Empathetic leadership is not just a buzzword, but the gateway to effective leadership and fostering a more engaged workforce. Only by genuinely understanding and practising empathy skills can leaders drive success. Ready to embark on your journey to becoming an empathetic leader? Citadel Search is here to connect you to like-minded individuals. Our team of consultants work closely with you to understand and address your hiring needs. Reach out to us today to build a team that not only excels, but thrives, under empathetic leadership.