SALT LAKE CITY, Utah–There are three paths to becoming a more empathetic leader, says one senior advisor with Franklin Covey.
The three keys: Get rid of your insecurities, become a better listener, and show a little love, wrote Scott Miller on Inc.com.
“Empathy for your team is more important than ever,” wrote Miller. “An estimated 865,000 women dropped out of the workforce in September 2020 alone as they struggled with work/life balance. Our teams need our help. They need their leaders to step up in unprecedented ways, and it's our job to deliver, even if that means stretching ourselves to new ways of leading.”
To accomplish that, Miller said employees need to know workers understand what they're facing both at home and at work.
“They need a culture of high trust, where they feel safe to tell us what they need to do their jobs well -- whether that's home office equipment, an extended deadline, or more flexibility during traditional working hours,” Miller stated. “Creating this kind of environment requires empathy, the ability to fully understand--though not necessarily agree with--another person's point of view.”
Some people are better than others when it comes to empathy, and while it may seem intangible, you can learn it, as Miller said he did.
Here’s how:
Hone Your Listening Skills
“When we talk about leadership, we often emphasize presentation, persuasion, and public speaking, but we don't talk nearly enough about the value of listening,” said Miller. “Listening is an untapped leadership competency--so much so that many leaders have a reputation for being terrible listeners.
“But leaders can make listening one of their greatest strengths -- if they can think bigger than their own narrative,” Miller continued. “Listening empathically means listening with the intent to understand another person's situation, perspective, or point of view. It means suspending your thinking, opinions, and judgments long enough to get inside another person's head.”
Get Over Yourself
Imposter syndrome is real, and it's everywhere, according to Miller.
“So many of us feel like we aren't worthy of the jobs we've earned, especially when we're facing the new and unpredictable challenges of 2021,” he stated. “The problem is that these feelings of insecurity drive us to focus excessively on ourselves: our performance, our weaknesses, our reputation, and our status--and that's exactly the opposite of where our focus should be as leaders.”
The first step in getting beyond imposter syndrome, wrote Miller, is to remember that your role as a leader is to look outward, at your team's success and development…When I became more forgiving of my own human imperfections, I was free to focus more on building up those around me.”
Love Your People
Loving your team means caring about each of them as individuals, Miller said.
“This obviously isn't a romantic or familial kind of love; this is the kind of deep caring that helps you understand who a person is, what might have them off their game, or what motivates them,” Miller stated. “It makes you want the best for them and their careers. Of course, you aren't their therapist or parent, nor should you be. But you are a leader with the power to help them bring about immense positive change in their life.
“That could mean providing a fulfilling work environment, creating a winning and supportive team, and helping them earn promotions, more exciting opportunities, and increased compensation. You may have a far bigger impact than you realize by simply demonstrating understanding and compassion when a person may need it most. And it's hard to envision a time when we need it more.”