Como as habilidades de empatia podem melhorar sua liderança na criação de um local de trabalho inclusivo?

Empathy is important in leading a team because the team is made of humans who have emotions, empathy allows you to relate to those emotions and connect to those humans and bring them together.

It is not that leaders do not know empathy but they do not practice it. Many of the leaders today were in the team and were working in the field or bench. They should understand the problem better and practice empathy. It will help them to build the team and work in collaboration to achieve the organization goal.

In my experience, simply being a good human encompasses all the so-called "soft skills" needed to succeed as a servant leader. Understanding each person behind the role on the team is what will unlock hidden potential and allow team members to shine as they are meant to. When real human connections are made, trust builds naturally and the team works as a single organism.

Empathy skills can enhance your leadership in creating an inclusive workplace. When leaders demonstrate empathy they show genuine understanding and concern for the experience, perspectives, and emotions of team members. This foster a sense of belonging, trust, and psychological safety at work.

Benefits: - build a team with diversity in THOUGHT - gather around you trusted advisors who will never lie to you because they don’t need to - foster loyalty within the team and watch the team’s reputation spread to clients, customers, partners, even competitors - always receive an idea 💡 from one of your teammates or team members about how to overcome an obstacle because they are not afraid to speak up - watch your team become naturally collaborative and play to each other’s strengths while bolstering any weaknesses without judgement - help create the next generation of servant leaders!

Also, consider practicing mindfulness to become more aware of your own emotions and those of others. Observing non-verbal cues, being present in conversations, and showing genuine interest in understanding others can enhance empathetic engagement. Self-reflection is crucial—analyze situations where empathy was or wasn't present and think about how to improve. Empathy, like any skill, grows with intentional practice and thoughtful application.

Empathy in the workplace, from a leadership perspective, involves gaining an understanding of the day-to-day tasks of the people you lead. I used to work as a Sr. Sales Associate for a luxury retirement community. I would constantly hear the executive director ask: "How can I better assist the efforts of the sales team?" If he had ever asked me that question, I would've said, "Come shadow us. Leave your office, walk across the lobby, and sit with us at our desks. Listen to our phone calls. Gain an idea of the pushback, resistance, and reasons potential residents give us as to why they don't want to move here." Empathy in the workplace involves rubbing shoulders with those you lead. Shadow them to gain an understanding of what they do.

Empathy is a rare trait and leaders often confuse it for sympathy. Active listening and an open discussion is definitely more appreciated. But empathy alone is not always expected so a good leader needs to be tuned into a psychological contract of the ongoing discussion and adapt.

Faites simple ! Demandez du feed-back à votre manager, vos pairs et surtout à vos collaborateurs à travers une démarche type 360. Appréhender l’impact de sa communication en prenant en compte les perceptions des personnes clés de son entourage, c’est mesurer le chemin déjà parcouru, ce que vous faites bien et celui qui reste à faire, les axes d’amélioration. Qui mieux que l’autre peut vous éclairer sur vos capacités d’empathie?

Start by reflecting on your ability to actively listen and understand others' perspectives during conversations. Pay attention to your capacity to recognize and validate their emotions and experiences without judgment. Additionally, seek feedback from trusted friends or colleagues on how they perceive your empathy and consider self-assessment tools or exercises designed to improve empathy, such as empathy-building workshops or reading materials.

The purpose of active listening is so we can absorb the key information from what the other person is saying and respond appropriately, rather than being distracted and thinking about what we want to say as they are speaking. Yet, when we ask ourselves, "how to practice active listening", we can end up overthinking when we should be listening and end up distracted anyway. If active listening is something you need to work on, there is power in taking a few minutes before the conversation (if you can) to: ➡ Clear your mind of previous conversations/thoughts ➡ Breathe deeply and relax your body ➡ Reset your emotions Then during the conversation, all you need to do is... Listen. 👂🏽

Sometimes I catch myself desperately wanting to say something and switching too quickly from active listener to active speaker.😉😀 But, I have found that practising active listening is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate empathy. By fully engaging in conversations with my team and showing genuine interest in their perspectives, I've been able to foster a more inclusive and collaborative environment. This approach has not only helped in understanding the team better, but also in making more informed decisions.

One suggestion I learned earlier in my career that has been instrumental in practicing active listening is to also acknowledge times when you are not able to actively listen. For example, if you are in the middle of an important task and someone approaches your desk, rather than trying to multi-task and both complete your task AND listen to your colleague - instead, ask your colleague to wait one moment while you finish, give your task your attention until you can get to a good stopping point, and then turn your undivided attention to your colleague with gratitude for their patience so that you may now be fully present.

A really important part of practicing active listening is understanding and making clear for yourself that it's not about you. Pushing back one's own ego might be challenging from time to time. But those who can, and put genuine focus on the other, also get so much more out of the converstaion.

Empathy in Leadership: Active Listening as the Key Empathy skills are essential for leaders aiming to create an inclusive workplace. A crucial aspect is active listening. This goes beyond hearing words; it involves understanding the emotions behind them. By actively engaging with their employees, leaders foster an open communication culture. Active listening builds trust, strengthens relationships within the team, and promotes an inclusive atmosphere. Through this conscious listening, leaders not only demonstrate respect but also create space for diverse perspectives. In this way, empathy becomes not just a skill but an integral part of successful leadership qualities.

Verbally, you can express empathy by actively listening and acknowledging the other person's feelings, saying something like, "I can imagine how difficult that must be for you." Non-verbally, maintain eye contact, nod your head, and use a warm and comforting tone of voice to convey your understanding and support.

Empathy skills are the key for leaders aiming to create an inclusive workplace. The way empathy is expressed verbally and nonverbally plays a crucial role. Verbal empathy involves using compassionate and supportive words that respect the feelings and perspectives of employees. Nonverbal empathy is demonstrated through body language signals such as an open posture, eye contact, and empathetic gestures. The combination of both forms of expression creates an atmosphere of understanding and appreciation. This is not only important for individual well-being but also fosters an inclusive workplace culture. The intentional use of verbal and nonverbal empathy expression becomes a powerful tool for successful and integrative leadership.

Showing Empathy: Verbal & Non-Verbal - Speak with compassion, listen actively. - Use reflective statements & affirmations. - Offer a comforting touch or supportive body language. Empathy is more than words; it's about connection.

In my interactions, I actively engage in a dynamic blend of verbal and non-verbal communication, channeling empathy to its fullest. By choosing words that are not just affirming but also empowering, and complementing them with body language that resonates with commitment and insight, I elevate every interaction. This strategy is my secret to forging deeper, more impactful connections with my colleagues, turning ordinary exchanges into opportunities for meaningful collaboration and growth.

Verbal Empathy: Active Listening: Show genuine interest in their words. Validating Feelings: Say things like "I understand how that could be frustrating." Supportive Language: Use phrases like "I'm here for you" to offer support. Non-Verbal Empathy: Eye Contact: Maintain it to show you're engaged. Nodding: Acknowledge their feelings. Open Body Language: Uncross arms, lean in slightly to show openness. 🤝 Remember, empathy is about understanding and sharing the feelings of others. #Leadership #Empathy #EffectiveCommunication 🌟

Empathetic leadership values can be developed by learning about the significance of cross-cultural communication, active listening, seeking feedforward rather than feedback, avoiding assumptions, and creating and celebrating a varied and safe inclusive culture.

In my role within a diverse and global setting, I've embraced the challenge of tailoring my empathetic approach to resonate with a spectrum of personalities and cultural backgrounds. This journey has involved a continuous self-education on various cultural norms and a welcoming attitude towards feedback on how my actions are perceived. My key tip? Always remain a curious and respectful listener. This adaptability isn't just a skill—it's a commitment to inclusivity and respect, ensuring everyone feels valued and understood. This approach has been pivotal in fostering a workplace where diversity is not just acknowledged, but celebrated.

Empathy in Leadership: Understanding and Integrating Diversity Empathy skills are the key for leaders aiming to create an inclusive workplace. This goes beyond understanding individual personalities; it involves empathizing with diverse cultural contexts. The ability to relate to various backgrounds enables respectful and integrative leadership. However, empathy is not a one-size-fits-all skill. It requires sensitivity to the diversity of needs, values, and expectations within the team. By understanding and acknowledging this diversity, leaders build authentic connections. Empathy thus becomes not only a tool for individual relationships but also a driving force for successfully integrating diversity in the workplace.

Start by actively listening and seeking to understand their perspectives and experiences. Practice open-mindedness and avoid making assumptions based on stereotypes. Lastly, engage in respectful dialogue and ask questions to gain deeper insights into their values and beliefs, fostering a more inclusive and empathetic connection.

Taking an interest in people is the only way to get to know them. This makes intention so important. Empathy cannot be contrived, a fake person is easily found out. My reference is South African society in which no only many different personalities but also many different cultures exist. My advice is to genuinely take an interest in being a better person and in wanting to learn about others. This then becomes less about the work person you are and more about the whole person you are becoming.

Empathy is the "superpower" that takes servant leaders to the next level in their leadership. Your emotional intelligence (EQ) influences the degree to which others want to connect with you, get to know you, and work with you.

Developing empathy as a leader is crucial for servant leadership. Here's how to build this habit: Active Listening: Truly hear what others say, focusing on their words, tone, and body language. Open-Ended Questions: Ask questions that encourage others to express their thoughts and feelings. Reflective Feedback: Paraphrase what you've heard to show understanding and validation. Personal Connection: Share your own experiences that relate to theirs, building mutual trust. Consistent Practice: Regularly engage in empathetic behaviors to make them a natural part of your leadership style. Remember, empathy is about understanding others' perspectives, not just feeling their emotions. 🌟👂💡 #EmpathyInLeadership #ServantLeadership

In my view, developing empathy in leadership, particularly for fostering an inclusive workplace, isn't something achieved quickly. It demands consistent effort, seeking feedback, and adapting. To cultivate empathetic habits, one might consider setting clear and practical goals, like engaging in active listening daily and reflecting on these interactions. Feedback from colleagues is vital for understanding how your empathetic abilities are perceived and where improvement is needed. Observing empathetic leaders can also be enlightening. Remember, self-empathy is crucial; being understanding and forgiving towards oneself can enhance the ability to empathize with others.

Empathy in Leadership: Cultivating Empathetic Habits Empathy skills are crucial for leaders shaping an inclusive workplace. Cultivating a habit of empathy begins with conscious self-reflection. Leaders should regularly pause to question their own perspective and empathize with their team members. Recognizing individual needs and emotions becomes a daily practice. Active listening, empathetic communication, and respectful feedback foster the continuous development of empathy. Through repeated application, empathetic actions become ingrained habits. Integrating empathy into leadership style becomes not just a strategic choice but a lived mindset that fosters an inclusive and harmonious workplace.

To develop a stronger sense of empathy, start with understanding your brain. Applied neuroscience provides a set of tools and information that allows us to better understand our actions, reactions, and interactions, helping us to achieve a more nuanced ability to respond and empathise with those around us. Our effectiveness is enhanced, our ability to communicate is enhanced, and our own wellbeing is also enhanced. If we try to develop empathy without understanding the way our brain and emotions work, it's like trying to put up shelves in a dark room - we make developing our desired goals a lot harder on ourselves.

When managing CRA teams in the last, I ensured they knew they could approach me with problems, questions and concerns, and that I would help them/guide them, do whatever I could to support. Building an atmosphere of trust promotes transparency and a level field for everyone, to grow, flourish and sustain as employees. Trust is critical

In today's corporate world finding the right empathetic way to achieve the mutually agreed targets within fixed timelines ( eg. yearly, monthly targets or project deadlines) is not straightforward. Rather, it is a complex activity which involves matrix relationships between multiple external (organization culture, safety, training, technology enablement, transparent processes etc) and internal (employee attitude and their emotional intelligence, honesty etc) factors. The external factors would facilitate the employees to display the right internal factors in their daily work. Thus a culture that insists & enables every employee to treat other employees the same way that they would like to be treated would ensure empathy at its very best.

Embracing Servant Leadership is key to fostering a more effective and cohesive team. This approach centers on empathy, creating a deeper connection and trust within the team. Active listening further strengthens this bond, ensuring every team member feels heard and valued. A visionary mindset guides the team towards long-term goals, preparing them for future challenges. Investing in the team's growth through stewardship builds a committed and capable workforce. Creating a sense of community, where diversity is celebrated, is essential for a dynamic and innovative workplace. By integrating these principles, we lead not just with strategic insight but with compassion, elevating our team to new heights of success and collaboration.

The best way to change into a more empathetic person is to surround yourself with people who are able to already display empathy. Take a look at your friends and mentors and then dissect what they are able to do that isn’t normally seen in your actions.

How can we best deal with this different needs, communication methods and working styles? How can we recognize that someone is overwhelmed by a situation or environment? Do they become loud or do they become invisible? How would the person like to receive feedback, directly and verbally or better in written form so that they can gather their thoughts first? The answer is simple and easy to implement: we ask. Create a questionnaire with guiding questions: Would you like to be praised in public? If so, how? How would you like to receive feedback? How would you like to be cheered up in difficult times? How can we tell when you are overwhelmed? The list goes on and will support you and your team.