Empathy as a Pillar of Leadership
There are many pillars that hold up the structure defined as leadership, one of which is a strange pillar indeed. When one thinks of leaders, it is often with the sense of setting vision, driving teams, resolving issues and giving inspiring speeches. However one of the most important characteristics of a leader is the ability to practice empathy: taking into account the feelings or thoughts of others.
When a leader defines a vision, they need to make it understandable for the team they are addressing. They can’t use big terms if the collective team has a limited vocabulary, and they can’t speak of advanced technology if they are equally limited in that area. Likewise, they can’t speak in simple terms if the team is advanced in vocabulary, technology or any other aspect where staying simple will reduce respect for the vision as well as the visionary.
When driving teams to reach new levels of achievement, it is crucial that the leader be able to sense the mood of the team and the individuals. It is not the same pep talk that will motivate each individual, so empathy of whom the person is, what they care about, or what you can help them focus on is critical. When pushing the team as a whole, it is vital to know what works for them in combination, as it will be different than what works for each person individually.
To make issues go away, to clear roadblocks takes a very analytical approach that is always spiced with empathy. Issues need champions and the wrong champion for an issue creates another issue. Therefore, it is important to know enough about the issue to choose the right person to solve it. This requires an empathetic eye towards who would meet the requirement of skill, concern and motivation to turn the issue into an opportunity for success.
Lastly, to inspire teams or individuals the leader needs to have empathy that goes deep to the core. To drive people to do mighty things means that you have to allay their fears and replace it with a strong sense of vision. To bring people and teams to a heightened level of accomplishment it is necessary to suspend what works for the leader, what gets him or her up in the morning, and they need to find what will get the team up and keep them going until they are successful.
Leadership without empathy is an empty room with the lights out.
When a leader defines a vision, they need to make it understandable for the team they are addressing. They can’t use big terms if the collective team has a limited vocabulary, and they can’t speak of advanced technology if they are equally limited in that area. Likewise, they can’t speak in simple terms if the team is advanced in vocabulary, technology or any other aspect where staying simple will reduce respect for the vision as well as the visionary.
When driving teams to reach new levels of achievement, it is crucial that the leader be able to sense the mood of the team and the individuals. It is not the same pep talk that will motivate each individual, so empathy of whom the person is, what they care about, or what you can help them focus on is critical. When pushing the team as a whole, it is vital to know what works for them in combination, as it will be different than what works for each person individually.
To make issues go away, to clear roadblocks takes a very analytical approach that is always spiced with empathy. Issues need champions and the wrong champion for an issue creates another issue. Therefore, it is important to know enough about the issue to choose the right person to solve it. This requires an empathetic eye towards who would meet the requirement of skill, concern and motivation to turn the issue into an opportunity for success.
Lastly, to inspire teams or individuals the leader needs to have empathy that goes deep to the core. To drive people to do mighty things means that you have to allay their fears and replace it with a strong sense of vision. To bring people and teams to a heightened level of accomplishment it is necessary to suspend what works for the leader, what gets him or her up in the morning, and they need to find what will get the team up and keep them going until they are successful.
Leadership without empathy is an empty room with the lights out.
posted by Brion Carroll | 7:41 AM
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