The Empathetic Leader

What the world needs now, perhaps more than ever, is empathetic leadership.

The past year has seen an unprecedented international crisis of monumental proportions. Never before have Governments, Politicians, World Leaders, Theologians, Spiritual & Religious Leaders, Academics, Captains of Industry, Business Owners, Managers, Supervisors and indeed Parents been required to demonstrate responsible, inspirational, visionary and empathetic leadership. Regrettably, very few leaders around the world can lay claim to having demonstrated these leadership attributes and principles during the past year.

Many books, articles and academic papers have been written about leadership over the years. Most talk of leaders needing to be responsible, decisive, inspirational, and visionary - few talk about leaders needing to be empathetic, or compassionate.

In my article, ‘Demonstrative Leadership during Lockdown’, first published on the 24 April 2020, I talk about Harvard Business School’s John Quelch’s 7 Principles of Leadership - the 7 C’s. These, you will recall are: Calm; Confidence; Communication; Collaboration; Community; Compassion; Cash.

It is significant that Compassion ranks 6 out of 7 according to Quelch. I would rank Compassion as the number one leadership principle. What Quelch does say is that ‘Compassion at a time of crisis is an important manifestation of leadership’. I wholeheartedly agree.

We often talk about leaders being required to treat the people they lead with dignity and respect. I would add ‘compassion’ to that list. Good leaders treat their people with dignity and respect – Great leaders treat their people with dignity, respect, and compassion.

Great leaders treat their people with dignity, respect, compassion, and care. Great leaders demonstrate compassion and care for their people by relentlessly pursuing their quest of creating a better future for those they lead, against the backdrop of prevailing medico-socio-economic environments.

Great leaders create an empathetic and inspiring environment in which to pursue their shared vision, and inevitably leave a worthy legacy for current and future generations once the vision is achieved.

Great leaders demonstrate genuine authenticity, create authentic trustworthy relationships, walk the empathetic walk, and talk the empathetic talk. Great leaders lead by example.

Great leaders enable and empower those they lead to be courageous, passionate, and empathetic.

Great leaders lead by being good, doing good, and ensuring good. Great leaders care.

Great leaders aspire to be Outstanding leaders.

Unfortunately, the world lacks truly outstanding leadership at this time. There are, of course, good leaders around, and even a few great leaders. What the world needs now are more Outstanding Leaders. Let us all aspire to be authentically outstanding empathetic leaders – the world needs them!

Get in touch

Visit www.dynamixhrsolutions.com to see other articles I have written as well as to view my comprehensive suite of tailored HR and Labour Relations service and solutions offerings.