Recently, a survey presented by Forbes (find the article link in the comments) showed that empathy is the most important leadership skill. Have you ever stopped to think about what would make empathy the main differentiator of a leader?
Before that, do you actually know what empathy means? This word is somewhat spoken, but its concept has been revisited.
Corporations have been bringing up more about empathy, but still in a generalized way. Some say empathy is putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, which isn’t exactly true. Empathy is the ability to recognize the emotions of others and realize how it influences someone else; however, every individual is unique as we neither have the same personality nor have experienced the same social interactions.
The way we sense the world also makes a huge difference in our ability to feel empathy. However, there is a group of people who go beyond that, manifesting what is known as high empathy: they are the so-called Empaths, that I have already introduced before, and you can find it here.
High empathy: a differentiator in building human relationships
Empaths are people gifted with high empathy, a personality trait that consists of a keen perception of the needs of others.
Due to high sensitivity, empaths can communicate in an extrasensory way and thus also feel the emotions of others in their bodies.
Based on that, have you ever wondered how the corporate world could be more human if empathetic leaders were more valued? The world of work still rewards many narcissistic bosses. Empaths do not usually fit into this scope: they rather value respect, transparency, fairness, and dialogue.
Even those who do not pursue a formal leadership position in organizations also need to upskill themselves on the new demands of the world of work. In my previous post, I brought the trends of the future of work and the skills required in the current Age of Digital Transformation.
Emotional intelligence was then shown as responsible for the development of at least 40% of those skills, including empathy, which belongs to the pillar of social awareness, which is the way one sees oneself and also sees the other.
In that context, empaths usually stand out by moving the organizations forward with balance, and by encouraging employees to develop themselves even in challenging situations.
When I think about the current format of the corporate world and its influence on a high number of mental disorders and stress, I see that there is yet a lot to be done if we want to improve interpersonal relationships.
Empathic attitudes you can start practicing now!
1. Follow the signs
Pay attention to what is going on around you and stay present. Burnout is a recurring problem, but it could be avoided if leaders practice the art of observation. Stressed people show it, get angry easily, cry, get distressed…observe! Nobody collapses out of nowhere.
2. Get genuinely interested in other people’s lives
Some of the empathic (formal or informal) leadership are actively working to understand the specific needs and goals of each employee.
3. Show compassion
Showing compassion is not a sign of weakness when someone is in need, due to an eventual personal loss. Solidarity and affection are part of the personality of empathetic leaders.
4. Listen
Due to a certain boss figure built up over the past years in the job market, employees may have the feeling that the approach of any of them should not be easy. Take the initiative to break this possible paradigm: be accessible and ready to listen.
If you notice that there is no room for open conversations or genuine empathy in your company or team, it’s then time to change it. Start slowly, practice little by little, make the environment safe, and then see the performance and well-being of your employees increase.
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About me: I’m a High-Performance Coach who uses a Neuroscience-based method to support you in Achieve More with Mental Well-Being.
