How can you lead with empathy in a competitive workplace?

1 Know your purpose

The first step to leading with empathy is to have a clear and compelling purpose for your work and your team. A purpose that aligns with your values, your vision, and your goals. A purpose that serves a greater good, not just your own interests. When you know your purpose, you can communicate it effectively to your team and help them see how their work contributes to it. You can also use your purpose as a guide to make decisions, resolve conflicts, and prioritize tasks.

2 Listen actively

The second step to leading with empathy is to listen actively to your team members, your customers, and your stakeholders. Listening actively means paying attention, asking open-ended questions, reflecting back what you hear, and showing interest and curiosity. Listening actively helps you to understand the perspectives, needs, and emotions of others, and to build trust and rapport. It also helps you to identify opportunities, challenges, and solutions that may otherwise go unnoticed.

3 Express appreciation

The third step to leading with empathy is to express appreciation for your team members, their work, and their achievements. Appreciation is a powerful way to show respect, recognition, and support for others. It also boosts morale, motivation, and loyalty. You can express appreciation in various ways, such as giving feedback, celebrating successes, rewarding efforts, and saying thank you. However, make sure that your appreciation is sincere, specific, and timely.

4 Adapt your style

The fourth step to leading with empathy is to adapt your style to the needs and preferences of your team members. Different people have different personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and communication styles. As a servant leader, you need to be flexible and versatile in how you interact with them. You need to adjust your tone, language, and approach according to the situation and the person. You also need to respect their diversity and individuality, and avoid imposing your own assumptions or expectations.

5 Empower your team

The fifth step to leading with empathy is to empower your team to take ownership, initiative, and responsibility for their work. Empowering your team means giving them autonomy, resources, and support to make decisions, solve problems, and learn from mistakes. It also means delegating tasks, sharing information, and encouraging collaboration. Empowering your team helps them to grow, develop, and innovate. It also shows that you trust them, value them, and care about their success.

6 Manage your emotions

The sixth step to leading with empathy is to manage your own emotions effectively. Emotions are natural and inevitable, and they can influence your thoughts, actions, and relationships. However, as a servant leader, you need to be aware of your emotions, and how they affect you and others. You need to regulate your emotions, and avoid letting them cloud your judgment, impair your communication, or damage your credibility. You also need to express your emotions appropriately, and use them as a source of insight, energy, and connection.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?