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    You are here Home » leadership

    How to Harness the Power of Empathy for Effective Leadership

    Last updated on Jan 23, 2020 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    Guest
    post from Maria Ross:
    Let me ask you a question: What does a
    successful leader look like? Effective leaders are masters of business
    strategy. They are visionaries who know how to clearly communicate their vision
    to others. To climb the corporate ladder, you’ve got to make fast, difficult
    decisions at critical times. Successful leaders have persistence, tenacity,
    confidence, enthusiasm.
    But what about compassion, kindness, and
    empathy?
    Imagine: a leader who knows how to gain
    efficiencies, decrease costs, increase employee retention, and inspire customer
    loyalty based on taking another’s point of view? This is the power of empathy
    at work.
    The POWER of Empathy?
    Now, the types of leadership qualities that
    show up on list after list are there for good reason. Being strategic, being a
    visionary, being decisive, being persistent, tenacious, confident, and enthusiastic
    all propel individual success as well as an organization’s success.
    It’s true. The business benefits of
    compassion, kindness, and empathy are less obvious, especially in an
    uber-competitive world. However, when you look closely, you discover that it
    becomes difficult to see empathy as anything other than essential for competent
    leadership. After all, I can think of no better foundation for a business model
    than recognizing the pain and suffering of others as a problem in need of a
    solution.
    Empathetic leaders at all levels, including
    managers, HR professionals, consultants, and c-level executives, are more
    competent leaders because they understand the power of meeting people where
    they are:
    ●    
    Empathetic entrepreneurs use their
    transformative experiences to empower others and fuel their businesses.
    ●    
    Empathetic managers put their
    teams at ease and support their employees as they achieve mutually beneficial
    goals.
    ●    
    Empathetic executives adapt to the
    inevitable shifts in business with calm confidence. They watch new ideas take
    root and recognize the value of developing products to meet customer needs.
    If you see the power of empathy at work and
    are ready to unlock this power in your own leadership, I’ve got some good news:
    empathy is a skill you can exercise like a muscle. Just as you can learn to
    become more strategic, more of a visionary, and more decisive, you can learn to
    be more compassionate.
    Here are seven simple ways to train yourself
    to lead more empathetically:
    1.
    Practice Presence:
    When you learn to be more present
    with yourself, you’ll be free to be more present with others. Take five
    minutes—yes, just five minutes—out of your day to meditate or sit in silence.
    Avoid distractions. Don’t multitask.
    2.
    Listen More, Stay Humble:
    Empathetic leaders listen
    with restraint to people’s experiences, stories, and perspectives. When you
    really listen, you pause, look for common ground, and offer constructive
    feedback that connects with the other person. 
    3. Be
    Curious:
    Authentically empathetic people are always
    learning from others and the world around them. Because they’re constantly
    curious, they are open to new synergies and able to make surprising connections
    while planting the seeds of success.
    4.
    Explore with Your Imagination:
    Getting inside the
    minds of employees and customers means getting inside the minds of human
    beings. You can do this outside of work too. Immerse yourself in films,
    documentaries, biographies, theater, art, or music.
    5.
    Cultivate Confidence:
    It might seem counterintuitive
    for a leader to lack confidence. But many leaders forget to track their goals
    and celebrate their wins because they’re focused on the success of the company
    as a whole. Bolster your confidence so you can pass it on.
    6. Get
    in the Trenches:
    If you deem a job “beneath” you or a
    “waste of your time,” consider the message you’re sending to those doing this
    job on a daily basis. Instead, try standing shoulder-to-shoulder with your
    salespeople or jump on a customer service call.
    7. Find
    Common Ground:
    As an empathetic leader, you want to
    build a community, not simply lift up individuals. Look for intersecting
    experiences, abilities, and needs. At these crossroads, you’ll find
    opportunities to come together.
    What do you think? Will you join me in
    rewriting the script about what gives businesses a competitive advantage? Let’s
    show the world what compassionately competitive, kindly ambitious, and
    empathetic, yet decisive leaders look like!
    Maria
    Ross
    , the founder of brand consultancy Red Slice,
    believes cash flow, creativity and

    compassion are not mutually exclusive. Maria
    has authored multiple books, including The Empathy Edge: Harnessing the Value of
    Compassion as an Engine for Success.
    She has spoken to audiences
    ranging from The New York Times to
    BlogHer and has written for numerous media outlets, including Entrepreneur.com.

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