From the Experts
Story by Dr. Manal Fakhoury
Empathetic Leadership
Building Trust and Taking Action
Building Trust and Taking Action
Empathetic leadership is a style of leadership that focuses on understanding others and identifying with their point of view. Empathetic leaders have a genuine interest in the people around them–what makes them tick, what inspires them, and what they feel. They want to understand why people are the way they are, and this desire helps them become great leaders, who are able to connect with many types of people and adapt their style, depending on who they are interacting with.
There are downsides to empathy leadership traits too. Empathetic leaders can find it difficult to confront others and to provide negative feedback. This sometimes makes them procrastinate on conversations that need to happen. But, the best empathetic leaders don’t just feel for their team members: They take action to help them grow their careers. Sometimes, that means giving constructive criticism. Being an empathetic leader isn’t just about feelings. Practicing empathy in business has real benefits for your team, your company, and your career.
Building a Strong Team
Building a Strong Team
Building trust in the workplace isn’t always easy, but when you truly understand the feelings and needs of your team, it gets easier. By letting your team know you are there for them and providing unconditional support, you’ll create an environment where they feel they can come to you with anything.
Empathetic leadership doesn’t just give your team faith in you, but in each other. Leading by example is a top empathy leadership trait and allows you to build strong teams.
Empathetic leaders are sensitive and open to the opinions, worldviews and experiences of others. They have an insatiable curiosity and know how to ask the right questions so that they are always learning new things. This allows them to better predict the outcomes of their decisions and make tough decisions quickly and correctly.
