Why empathetic leadership wins in a workplace
There is a flood of definitions for leadership swimming on the internet. Many self-proclaimed influencers also take the liberty to call themselves one true leader; where all they do is sell things to their followers and make a big fat buck. There is nothing wrong with that, to each their own, however I believe that isn’t the foundation of true mentorship.
I am not a fulfilling leader but I have witnessed the aura of empathic leaders. It takes a lot of work. Their presence does not engulf the greater good of the larger group. Perhaps, because they mould their ambitions in a bigger and better way. They’re not afraid to call their mistakes out even though they have been a dedicated leader throughout. They uplift not just themselves, but also the people they have nurtured with them. Collective growth is their unsaid slogan. Their actions and thoughts are driven by the need to be better, without stifling the mental peace of their people.
As much as performance metrics hold significance, personal metrics don’t get lost in the whirlwind of numbers. They practice empathy without even making a big deal out of it. An embarrassing incident almost consumes my mind when I think about empathy in a workplace. Here it goes..
There was one particular senior leadership event that I was given the responsibility to organize and execute. I was comparatively newer in the corporate pastures so the pressure to not make any mistakes was supreme. But I ended up making a big blunder. I sent out an email to the two senior leaders which included the entire plan of the event and clearly, I lost my mind. I quickly reached out to a leader in my team and explained the blunder and apologized for the embarrassment.
What followed next was a (pleasant) shock.
He was extremely and surprisingly patient while I rattled off my painful story. He listened with an open mind about what I’d done and assured me that it’ll be taken care of. He saved my face. Thereafter, he never let this incident spoil our relationship. I felt respected, appreciated and valued. Point being, empathy charged the situation and I learnt two new things that day:
1. How empathy can set the tone of an environment and build strong relationships
2. How to recall an email in record time
My wind-up
There are few skills that come through practice — which again are commonly termed as ‘hard skills’. But there are other skills that come through reflection — a constant renovation of the character and personality — ‘soft skills’.
Empathy, most certainly, takes the driver’s seat in this long-winded ride where the complexity of human relationships are valued, nurtured and impacted.
All it requires are three modest intentions — honesty, openness and understanding and this holds true for relationships in and out of the workplace.
