5 Ways Empathy Will Affect Your Leadership
I recently spoke to Cynthia Corsetti for Authority Magazine about 5 ways in which empathy affects leadership. Empathy is such a buzzword and in leadership we often get it wrong. For me, empathy in leadership is about doing hard things in a human way.
1 . Empathy builds trust
Empathy strengthens trust by showing your team that you value their feelings and experiences. A great example for this is Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft who early in his leadership, encouraged a shift from a “know-it-all” culture to a “learn-it-all” culture. He created an environment where employees felt safe to take risks and learn from mistakes, allowing them to experiment and innovate without fear of failure, and leading to a more collaborative and transparent culture. In essence, I can’t trust you if I don’t feel that you feel me.
2 . Empathy boosts emotional intelligence
Empathy is a powerful connector. It helps leaders better understand and manage the emotional states of their teams, which becomes especially critical during challenging times. A few years ago, I coached a highly driven leader who was delivering great business results but struggling to connect with his team, who was becoming increasingly unhappy.
We worked on cultivating empathy, starting with him tapping into his own emotions and learning how to make space for the feelings and perspectives of his team. By the end of our training, his transformation was so remarkable, that one of his team members said in a meeting “You’re part of the team now, not just running the team.”
3 . Empathy increases engagement
I once read about how Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo demonstrated it in action. She would often write letters to the parents of her senior executives, acknowledging the role their upbringing had played in shaping great leaders. This gesture of recognizing the whole person, not just the employee, created deep loyalty and commitment, driving greater engagement and performance within the organization.
4 . Empathy strengthens productivity
In a 2023 study by Ernst & Young, 88% of employees felt that empathetic leadership increased productivity in the workplace. It’s no surprise. When you’re leading, the question you should be asking yourself constantly is “Why should other people follow you?” If they feel you care, they will follow.
5 . Empathy boosts innovation
When a leader is empathetic, innovation and idea sharing within the team naturally increase. Team members feel more trust and are willing to take greater risks in expressing their opinions or proposing creative solutions.
Empathy, much like what Amy Edmondson describes with psychological safety, creates an environment where individuals feel safe to speak up without fear of judgment or failure.