{"id":21717,"date":"2018-06-14T05:35:03","date_gmt":"2018-06-14T11:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/corevalues.com\/?p=21717"},"modified":"2018-06-14T05:35:03","modified_gmt":"2018-06-14T11:35:03","slug":"empathetic-leaders-positive-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/2018\/06\/14\/empathetic-leaders-positive-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"The Real Value of Empathetic Leaders in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Empathetic<\/a>As a soft skill, empathy isn\u2019t always easy to assess. During the hiring process, it often goes overlooked as a necessary attribute for success. This is a mistake for hiring managers.\u00a0 Empathetic leaders are valuable and important for a strong workplace culture.<\/p>\n

Empathy in the workplace is a universal team principle.\u00a0 It is the desire and ability to understand another person\u2019s perspective or circumstance regardless of whether you agree with that person, according to the book,\u00a0TIGERS Among Us<\/em><\/span><\/a>. This quality allows individuals to put themselves in another\u2019s shoes and imagine what they feel, desire or need. It is important for communications, peer to peer conflict resolution and for negotiation.\u00a0 It is a soft skill that packs a wallop when it comes to empathetic leaders.<\/p>\n

Empathetic people make exceptional leaders because those who are empathetic desire to know and understand others.\u00a0 They are typically excellent listeners and ask questions with the intent of learning about people. They suspend judgment while they gain better understanding.\u00a0 They are also able to understand what others feel without being overly sympathetic or endorsing another\u2019s feeling of victimization. This is all important for successful conflict resolution because understanding diverse perspectives allows collaborative solutions to rise from chaos. This is the true value of empathetic leaders in the workplace.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, with proper training, empathy can be learned. The TIGERS Manager as Facilitator Training<\/span><\/a>\u00a0teaches leaders how to be good facilitators because good facilitators are able to bring people together to work toward solutions. As a result, groups are better able to accomplish more with high levels of commitment and accountability. By facilitating group dynamics the right way, leaders are able to encourage team members to buy into the process, making it more bearable by everyone. The training utilizes the six principles of trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. As this article focuses on empathetic leaders, it\u2019s important to note that empathy is like a muscle, and if it isn\u2019t utilized, it will atrophy. Some strategies to keep your empathy strong include:<\/p>\n

Empathetic leaders in the workplace, solicit feedback.<\/h2>\n

One of the easiest ways of getting onto the path for improved empathy is by seeking feedback from your team. Ask your team members for honest feedback on your leadership, and provide opportunities for your teams to talk candidly about their own needs within the organization in order to thrive. A willingness to improve your own performance along with thoughtful listening and self-observation are key factors required for leaders to provide an empathetic environment for their team members. And by listening to their team members, leaders\u00a0 learn how to best serve them and motivate them on an individual basis. They understand their team members, their needs and their desires and are able to match those needs with the overall goals of the company.<\/p>\n

Empathetic leaders focus on behavior in the workplace.<\/h2>\n

As an empathetic leader, some behaviors that you can focus on to promote empathy include:<\/p>\n