Empathy

Happy Friday!

I love this from @allontheboard - a great reminder of the importance and value of empathy.

I often talk about hilltops in my work - the ability to go to someone's hilltop and truly listen to their view from their hilltop.

Empathy is the ability to understand another persons' experience and emotions from their perspective. It helps to build connection and trust, improves communication, develops vulnerability and encourages kindess and support. It is a core value of mine.

When we think about this within a business context....

WITHOUT IT

❌ Mistakes can be hidden and left unresolved due to fear of blame

❌ Feedback can feel like failure or a personal attack

❌ Siloed mentality prevails - 'not my role so not my issue'

❌ Burnout drives absence and high turnover

❌ Leaders are out of touch with the reality of what is really going on

❌ Little to no active listening which leads to poor engagement

❌ Destroys psychological safety

❌ Clients and customers are not listened to

WITH IT

✅ Mistakes are openly shared and resolved through learning and encouragement

✅ Feedback feels and is constructive, actionable and motivational

✅ Cross collaboration and whole business thinking, feeling and decision making is

prevalent

✅ High retention, a feeling of belonging and true discretionary effort is achieved

✅ Deep active listening which respects and values each individual

✅ A culture of psychological safety

✅ Clients and customers are valued and their needs are truly heard

I started a Leadership Development Programme this week with a wonderful group of leaders. The business and the sponsors of this programme are truly committed to developing the emotional intelligence and skills of their leaders to help them lead themselves, the business and the future using and leveraging emotional intelligence, of which empathy is a key construct. They are investing in their leaders, their teams, their clients and their future.

If you are curious about how you can build, develop and strengthen emotional intelligence and empathy as a leader, within your team and your business and flourish in the ‘WITH IT’ space, please do get in touch.

Have a super weekend ahead!