Empathy- the ability to tap into another person’s feelings because you have been in their position or can see it from the point of view.
Empathy in Leadership
Raise your hand if you have had a not-so-positive experience with your boss or former boss. (Raises both hands) Bosses are infamous for being demanding, controlling, insensitive, and probably a few more choice words. I always vowed that when I got to the position of leadership that I would NOT be like my former bosses (the negative traits at least). One thing that I d that keeps me from turning into the ‘bad boss’, is that I keep the personal touch to show empathy. At some time or another, everyone hits a rough spot, and is in need of a bit of empowerment from someone in his or her circle. Maybe that someone should be their boss. Here are a few reasons why leaders should show empathy….
1. One of the most popular reasons someone leaves their job is a bad work environment. A bad work environment can come from a few sources- but not having a sense of trust in the work environment is a big one. By taking the time to understand your staff, you understand in which ways to support them. A supported staff member is a productive staff member.
2. Everyone messes up. We are humans and it is what we do. If a person does not feel supported, they are less likely to go to their boss and confess to the mistake that they made, or be open about any help needed. If we cannot open up about our areas of opportunities or mistakes with our direct supervisors then that is a bad sign!
3. No matter who you are, what background you have, what you want to do going forward, everyone requires validation from someone. Everyone would like to know that he or she is on the right track at work. Everyone would like so form of encouragement or validation. There is nothing wrong with craving validation. This does not mean you have low self-esteem and you require constant praise. This means that you would like to know that you are on the right track.
I read something about the Zulu culture that I loved. They have a greeting “Sawubona” which means, “We see you”. Often people would like to know they are not invisible. By saying, “we see you” it creates a sense of comfort, and recognizing the people around them.
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