by Katia Lossano Curated by Humahub
On the 2nd. post about the ETHICS Leadership Model, I started to share what it represents, pointing out the importance of Ethics as a pillar of this model. Today I'm going to share the first attribute of the ETHICS acronym: Empathy.
EMPATHY
Empathy Is the ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes, as many already know. And while it can be familiar terrain in personal relationships, in the workplace, and especially in leadership, it can be more challenging. Why? Because being empathetic means opening yourself up to a real connection. It's not just about looking at the world with someone else's lenses. It's about making room for a two-way relationship, in fact. It's about being available to get to know and let yourself be known, establish a channel of communication, be open to opinions and points of view and really integrate yourself in the relationship. The empathetic leader shows genuine interest, concern, and understanding for his team and all the people on it.
And what is the relevance of empathy in leadership? An article published by the Forbes Magazine, in 2021, mentioned empathy as the most important skill of the leader according to surveys, reporting a study conducted by Catalyst of 889 employees. According to this study, empathy in leadership has considerable impacts on engagement, retention, innovation, inclusion, work-life balance, and reduced burnout. Another survey, conducted by the Center of Creative Leadership, with 6,731 managers in 38 countries, also found that leaders perceived as empathetic by their team, demonstrate better performance according to their superiors. Sounds pretty relevant to me, and to you?
How about practicing some empathy in your work today?
Reflections on Empathy in Leadership:
Who is the most empathetic person you know? How do you feel in the presence of this person?
Now, think of a situation where someone has not been empathetic to you. How did you feel?
When was the last time you showed genuine interest, concern and understanding for your team?
What personal characteristics have appeared in this situation?
And when was the last time you felt the same from your leader?
What do you do to show more empathy with your team?
By Katia Lossano in partnership with HUMAHUB
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