How To Lead With Empathy

One of the most highly sought after qualities for today's great leaders is the ability to lead with empathy. 

So what is empathy? And why is it important for leaders to have? 

Roman Krznaric defines empathy as “the ability to step into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives and to use that understanding to guide our actions. That makes it different from kindness and pity.” 

Sometimes as a leader, you need to get out of your own shoes and put on someone else’s to truly understand what is happening around you.

Cultivating empathy as a leadership skill allows you to create bonds of trust. It gives you insight into what others are feeling and thinking, and it helps you understand their reactions. At its foundation, empathy informs your decision-making by sharpening your perceptions and intuition.

Moreover, we don’t spend enough time understanding what the people around us are going through and what’s happening in their lives.

It’s so important as a leader to recognise that people do have a life outside of work. There is a very fuzzy line between work and life, and for me, personally, there is no line!

Without empathy, it is not possible to get the best from your team, and for this reason, it is the key to everything. If we can bring empathy into the workplace, we build a foundation to create a great organisation. Give time and attention to your team to understand and provide what they need to succeed.

Empathy is a learnable skill! All it takes is a little patience and a real desire to listen to your team and recognise their perspectives. 

Five ways you can learn to lead with empathy...

1. Rethink how you listen 

Are you actually listening or just waiting to speak? 

Empathic leaders don't just listen; they listen deeply. This means listening with open ears, open eyes and an open heart. It involves paying attention to things like body language, voice tone, and the underlying emotions behind what is being said. And importantly, it means not interrupting or thinking about what you’re going to say next. You’ll always gain more from listening rather than speaking, and the best leaders spend at least as much time listening as they do speaking. 

2. Walk in your coworker’s shoes

We’ve all heard the saying “put yourself in someone else’s shoes”...

Sometimes imagining going through a similar experience or situation as someone else can help you understand the perspective of others better. At its core, empathy involves recognising where people are coming from. You don’t have to agree with what they are saying, but it is not only respectful to acknowledge other people’s standpoints, it will also help you have a holistic view of the situation. 

3. Master the art of asking questions 

Ask one question at a time. Just one question at a time. 

The best way to understand how someone is feeling is to ask them. This may seem simple, but this approach is often overlooked. Try kick-starting the conversation by asking, “What’s on your mind?” 

I have found this to be a fail-safe way to open up the conversation and get down to real challenges facing my team. 

4. Show sincere interest in the needs, hopes, and dreams of other people 

Do you know the aspirations of each of your team members?

Empathetic leaders have a genuine interest in the lives of those who work for them. They seek to get to know their team on a personal level by asking questions about people’s personal lives, their families, their challenges and their aspirations.

5. Demonstrate a willingness to help a team member with personal problems

Further to showing a sincere interest in people’s personal lives, an empathetic leader is willing to go the extra mile and help people tackle challenges that they may be facing. Personally, if I can help people feel inspired and help people with their situation; I will. And in return, I get the best out of my team.

I wish you all the best as you lean into empathy and empower your team to reach their full potential! 

If you're interested in learning more about the most important skills managers should have, check out our article, "Top 10 Management Skills According To 15,242 Managers".

Keep learning,

Kobi Simmat