any people have had bad experiences with negative bosses and coworkers. Pervasive negativity can make anyone dread going to work and even fear their boss. This often comes down to people feeling undervalued and misunderstood by their leaders.
Empathy is the key to fixing a negative workplace tone and inspiring outstanding performances. Empathetic leaders yield better results than the alternative, and that’s never been so clear. After all, you can’t expect your team to give it their all if they’re bogged down with negativity.
A strong, unified workplace can make work feel less like an obligation and more like a calling, and that’s a beautiful thing. Follow along as we explore how empathetic leadership is redefining strength in modern workplaces.
Empathetic Leadership Pays Off
Empathy is rooted in understanding others and valuing their feelings and opinions. Historically, people haven’t always felt valued and understood by their bosses. Today, people hold their bosses more accountable than ever, and apathetic leaders are less welcome than ever.
Luckily, there are enough examples of productive workplaces and empathetic bosses that it’s hard to deny their relationship. Empathetic leadership in the workplace pays off in many ways, such as:
Improve Workplace Engagement
It’s hard to feel engaged with your work if your boss treats you like another cog in a machine. Unfortunately, many people feel undervalued and highly replaceable, which can hinder engagement. The days of bosses telling and showing their employees that they’re replaceable are hopefully long gone.
Empathetic leaders acknowledge their teams, display appreciation, and keep everyone engaged. The less you worry about your boss’s reaction, the more you can focus on the tasks at hand. Any minute that someone spends fearing their leader is a minute not spent engaged with their work.
Engaged employees are more productive and typically more creative. That alone is reason enough for bosses to consider whether or not they’re treating their employees with empathy.
Keep Employees and Help Them Grow
Unruly, tyrannical bosses can’t act shocked when the employee turnover rate is high. After all, who wants to stay at a workplace where they’re undervalued and treated poorly? Today, people hold bosses and leaders of all kinds more accountable than ever, and this has contributed to the rise of empathetic leadership.
A high employee retention rate benefits not only the employees but also the leaders and the company as a whole. People are unlikely to leave if they like their boss, coworkers, and overall work culture. The more employees you keep, the more often you can help long-term employees climb the ladder.
As a long-term employee, you will likely see your role evolve, which can be quite rewarding. Conversely, you’ll never build a strong team of industry veterans if you aren’t sympathetic to their positions, both professionally and personally.
Instill Creativity
Negativity doesn’t inspire creativity and inspiration in any workplace, and that’s never been truer. Empathetic leaders understand their employees’ strengths and weaknesses and often consider how valuable both are. It’s hard to feel creative if you feel misunderstood by your boss.
Similarly, the average person probably doesn’t want to offer great ideas when they feel undervalued. The best ideas emerge from environments where everyone feels understood and doesn’t fear being shut down. After all, expressing creative ideas can leave anyone feeling vulnerable, so why offer ideas if you fear the response?
Empathetic leaders know how to hear ideas and treat the person in question respectfully, whether they like the idea or not. Not every idea will make the cut, but it won’t take long for innovative concepts to emerge in a positive environment.
Solve Problems Quickly
Workplace conflict will always exist, even in the most positive offices. While some conflict is unavoidable, workplace disagreements are much easier to resolve when mediated by a reasonable, empathetic person. A strong foundation of empathy is one of the most essential crisis management skills, and it can make a big difference.
Empathy makes understanding both sides of an argument easier, which in turn can make both parties feel valued. Of course, some situations are cut and dry where one person is clearly in the wrong. However, you must still be careful about how you handle even the most one-sided conflicts.
For example, yelling at someone and putting them down can leave others feeling scared of eliciting the same response. A clear head and a strong empathetic base make resolving even the most heated conflicts much easier. Whether it's minor disputes or full-blown blowouts, quickly resolving issues can benefit the entire office.
Empathetic Leadership Creates a Powerful Snowball Effect
Empowering your employees is just as important as managing the office and team. However, you can’t easily empower your employees if they fear your reaction and sense fundamental misunderstandings. Leading with empathy can create a snowball effect that yields a positive atmosphere and a productive team.
A workplace’s overall tone starts at the top, so setting a great example is essential. Understanding someone’s struggles, both at home and in the office, can help contextualize their experience. You don’t have to relate to everyone, but understanding their positions can help you treat them the way they want and deserve.
Leaders who establish a positive tone can inspire everyone else to be creative, productive, and positive. Not only will this maximize the team’s potential, but it will also help you retain employees and boost morale.
