Lead with Empathy: How Understanding Your Employees Drives Success
Today’s business leaders must address complex and challenging priorities, yet they often overlook a quality proven to help them be more effective: empathy. When leaders understand the needs and emotions of others, they can support their employees’ well-being without sacrificing productivity. Empathetic leaders get results, but they also create workplaces where employees thrive.
What is Empathetic Leadership?
Empathetic leadership prioritizes people and their individual needs, while still driving business success. Empathetic leaders are genuinely interested in others—curious about their point of view and what motivates them. Demonstrating empathy can be challenging for leaders, especially as showing an interest in employees’ lives hasn’t always been a business priority. However, personal insights allow managers to better support their teams, especially during difficult times.
Jackie Ferguson, VP of Content, Programming and Products at The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options Company, explains that an empathetic approach transformed a conversation with a direct report who was relocating. Nervous at first, the employee explained the situation. Ferguson listened carefully, noting that the individual didn’t want to quit but was unsure of their options. A remote work arrangement was the answer, benefiting the company and the employee. The meeting could have ended in a resignation; instead, it ended with a mutually beneficial solution.
“I could have lost a key employee on my team when her husband accepted a job in another state, and the organization would have lost historical and practical knowledge of content, event execution and curriculum development,” Ferguson says.
During periods of uncertainty—whether caused by business transitions, personal issues, economic downturns, or social disruptions—empathetic leadership becomes even more crucial to the long-term success of the organization. Instead of ignoring when employees are anxious, distracted, grieving, or frustrated, empathetic leaders acknowledge the emotions and create strategies to reduce stress and regain focus. This support leads to greater employee resilience, increased engagement, and a willingness to persevere through challenges. Companies that promote people-first solutions will not only retain talent but also maintain productivity and innovation, even in the face of adversity.
