Why Empathy Is Important In Leadership | The Power Of Empathy

Connection is essential in business, which is why empathy is important in leadership. Let's face it, being a leader isn't always easy. There are a million decisions to make and a million things that can go wrong. It can be easy to get bogged down in the details and lose sight of the people you're supposed to be leading. That's why empathy is so important for leaders.

Here are 4 reasons why empathy can level up your business relationships. And make you a better leader!

The 5 Reasons Why Empathy is Important in Leadership

1. Empathy builds trust

If you want people to trust you, then you need to be able to put yourself in their shoes. Take the time to understand how they're feeling. If you can do that, they'll know that you care about them as individuals and not as cogs in a machine. Trust is the foundation of any good relationship. If you want to be a successful leader, you need to learn how to build trust with your team members.

2. Empathy allows you to see both sides of every issue

Empathy is about more than understanding how someone feels. It's also about understanding their POV. When you're able to see both sides of an issue, it's much easier to find a solution that everyone can agree on.

Seeing both sides of an issue will also make you a better judge of character. Let's say it seems like someone is trying to stir up drama. Their negativity and pessimism make you feel that they aren't worth your time and energy. With a bit of empathy and some active listening, you realize that they have lost someone close to them. Their pessimism at work may be bad for morale. But with empathy in your toolkit, you can work to ease team stressors and support someone in need.

As a leader, it is important to be able to see both sides of every issue to make the best decision for the team. When you can empathize, it becomes easier to understand where others are coming from. This allows you to make decisions that take into account the needs of everyone involved.

3. Empathy makes you a better communicator

Empathizing with someone helps you communicate with them more effectively. It's why empathy is important in leadership. Knowing what buttons to push and what topics to avoid, will help your conversations flow. Good communication is essential for any leader who wants to be successful.

Empathy also requires you to use your listening skills. Exercising active listening is essential in leadership as well. The two go hand-in-hand! You’ll find yourself responding more thoughtfully to peers and staff alike.

4. Empathy makes people want to follow you

Nobody wants to follow a leader who doesn't understand them or care about them as a person. Above all else, this is why empathy is so important in leadership specifically. If you can't show you care, you can't expect others to care about company values.

If you can show people that you empathize with them, they'll be more likely to want to follow you. Additionally, empathy will also make people more loyal. If they know that you understand and care about them, they're far less likely to defect somewhere else.

5. Empathy Helps You Connect with Others

If you want to be a successful leader, you need to be able to connect with the people you are leading. Empathy is the key to creating strong relationships built on mutual respect. When you can gain perspective, it's easier to communicate and understand a new POV which is critical on the journey toward Career Success.

Boost your leadership skills with empathy with Uvaro

Being a leader is more than giving orders and expecting employees to follow. To be an effective leader, you need to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes. See things from another's perspective, and understand their needs and motivations.

The bottom line is this: if you want to be a successful leader, empathy is essential. It's the key to building trust, communicating, and inspiring loyalty in your team. So if you're looking to improve your leadership style, try to see things from new perspectives. You might be surprised at how much of a difference it makes.

Learn more about empathy in the workplace by enrolling in our Sales Leadership Course. Become a Pro Member today, and see how your empathetic leadership style can lend itself to the industry.

Check out our Career Success Catalog to learn more.