Empathy is a very powerful tool and, if used correctly, can create much stronger relationships between you and your team. According to research by Annie Thompson, 84% of respondents agreed that empathy is critical for businesses to succeed and 60% stated that empathy matters.
Being empathetic can help you not only improve your own working environment, but that of your team. Here are some tips that will help you discover your empathetic and ‘transformational’ management style.
View colleagues as partners
You are, after all, working together in the same direction. Remember, being part of an empathic team isn’t just down to you – everyone else needs to join too. Focus on building long-term relationships by finding connections, setting expectations to help create a sense of purpose and drive.
Establish dialogue
You need to have open communication. Pay attention when listening and don’t interrupt or be distracted. You should also design your team meetings so that there is space within them for listening, reflection, praise and for problem-solving.
Foster collaboration
Nothing reduces competition and improves nurturing more than collaboration. Remember, no one person knows all the answers, so you must be open to new ideas and perspectives. Build and encourage contributions in team meetings so that people know that they can be creative and contribute with confidence.
Show self-awareness
Reflect and identify on your strengths and remember to continually learn and develop. Encourage others to do so too. Be open to new ideas and perspectives, proactively make decisions and bold choices. At the same time, don’t be afraid to admit when you’re wrong and always keep your team in the forefront.
Remember, what motivates one team member will not motivate everybody - it must be a little more tailored. To build a strong team, you need to use empathy to understand others. Once you understand their motivations and goals, you can tie them to a shared sense of purpose.
Learn more about this topic in Empathy to Get Your Way and Change Culture.
