5 Ways to Lead with Empathy During Tumultuous Times
In a recent report from Chief, The New Era of Leadership: C-Suite Executives on the Job’s Changing Demands, leaders are struggling to find the balance between a more empathetic approach to leadership and the pressure to deliver expected results. Even Gallup’s latest results on employee engagement doesn’t make it any easier as only 34% of the workforce was engaged at work, citing that “the U.S workforce continued to feel more detached from their employers, with less clear expectations, lower levels of satisfaction with their organization, and less connection to its mission or purpose.”
While the COVID pandemic has lessened its presence in the work environment, there are various social and economic factors that continue to affect employees, such as communication challenges with four generations in the workforce, the needs for mental health awareness and resources, demands for flexibility for remote work or caregiving needs, and personal challenges stemming from local to global events. Balancing empathy for addressing these challenges without sacrificing productivity requires the use of emotional intelligence, effective communication, and strategic management.
Here are five strategies that can help achieve this balance:
1. Create Space.
Cultivate an environment where open and transparent communication is valued and rewarded so your team feels comfortable expressing themselves, whether it be about work challenges or even personal struggles affecting performance. Start by:
Setting ground rules for how the team will communicate with you or each other (e.g., what is to be shared and not shared, how to disagree respectfully)
Modeling the behavior you expect by honoring differences and conveying to team members the value they each bring (remember, the more diverse a team the better solutions or insights generated!)
Recognizing team members that take risks to share opinions or ideas that may not be popular or well-received, or are brave enough to ask for help with they are personally struggling
2. Ask Questions.
Active listening is more than just nodding when your team speaks to show you hear them. Asking more questions not only shows genuine interest in their perspective and validates their feelings, but involving them in finding solutions can be empowering. Here are some conversation prompts to keep in mind:
What are your thoughts about…?
What ideas do you have to tackle this challenge?
How can the team work within our current constraints to get the results we want?
What can I do / how can I help?
3. Be Flexible AND Enforce Limits.
Treat members of your team as individuals, adapting to their unique needs and circumstances. Be proactive in addressing issues that may hinder productivity. For example, if a team member has a caregiving issue, can they work remotely or have projects reassigned to take time off? Remember: there is a balance in keeping the pendulum swinging too heavily into personal from professional. Make sure employees understand the limits of the accommodations you can provide. In the previous example, remote work may be time-limited to get through the short-term caregiving issue and would be considered an accommodation you would provide anyone on your team if they needed it, so it is not viewed as “special treatment” for one employee.
4. Check In Regularly.
Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with team members to put the above tips to use. Frame this an opportunity to provide insights, support and guidance, rather than just a way to “micro-manage” their projects. Keeping communication lines open (even if for just 15 minutes) by intentionally blocking out time for each team member can increase engagement and productivity.
5. Spotlight Effort.
A recent study by Achievers demonstrates the importance of tending to an employee’s “emotional salary,” non-monetary components that contribute to an employee feeling valued and rewarded at work. One way to do this is to highlight the effort (not just achievements) of your team to make things happen. Here are some quick-hit” ideas that don’t require a direct budgetary impact:
Leave time in team meetings for all to give praise or “shout-outs” of what they have recently noticed from their co-workers efforts
Sing praises of your team members to your own boss or leadership team so they have visibility to the progress taking place and how your team is contributing
Recommend your team members for more formal recognition inside or outside your organization (e.g., publications that offer awards for top industry professionals)
Write a card or email that recognizes the contribution of your team member; this simple gesture is great for those that do not like formal recognition but signifies your appreciation of their efforts
Bottom line:
Empathy and productivity are not mutually exclusive. In fact, having a leader that takes the time to understand their employee’s perspective and offers to support them through challenges (whether personal or professional) is not only the right thing to do but is a sound business decision. Implementing these strategies can improve team morale, increase engagement, reduce turnover, reduce stress and positively affect overall well-being. It is important leaders carve out time for their team members to ensure they can be as effective and productive as possible, keeping a pulse on their individual needs as well as the team’s dynamics to weather any storms together.