05 May The benefits of leading with empathy

As we all know, today’s organisations work in a dynamic world characterised by economic volatility, globalisation, and substantial technical advances. In order to deal with this fast-paced, stressful, and ever-changing work environment, leading with empathy has become an invaluable leadership skill.

Here are some of the benefits of leading with empathy:

• Empathy builds stronger relationships – Empathetic leaders are better able to relate to and comprehend the demands and uncertainties of their staff members. As a result, trust and loyalty are developed.
• Empathy drives innovation – Empathy enables leaders to consider issues from several angles and comprehend the demands of their stakeholders and consumers. This can assist leaders in exploring new opportunities for innovation and in providing services that better fulfil the demands of their clients.
• Empathy fosters a positive culture – An empathetic leader creates a positive workplace culture which leads to higher employee satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and better overall organisational performance.
• Empathy improves decision making – When making decisions, leaders who have empathy are better able to consider the opinions and feelings of others. 

Because empathy does not come naturally to everyone, organisations must be intentional about equipping leaders with this desired (power) skill through training. Yes, empathy can be acquired or taught, but it is a continuous, conscious and deliberate process that takes time, effort, and attention. 

The Enneagram is one of the tools that we find very useful to assist with building empathy. First it helps the leader understand their own ‘default’ style and areas for development, and second it opens up conversations to understand others’ and have those conversations in a non-judgemental language.  

Development programs like our programme Leadershift can help leaders connect with their teams, understand team dynamics, learn how to have difficult conversations, and successfully manage the employee experience.

Explore the programs below to cultivate healthy work relationships and drive business growth while leading with empathy.