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Yes, you can have it all: empathy and performance.<\/p>\n
Leaders\u2019 minds often toggle between focusing on business needs and tending to employees. Yet, there\u2019s more overlap between leading with empathy and executing on goals than many of us realize. Leaders really can do both without one being at the expense of the other.<\/p>\n
This article will show you how. Read on to:<\/p>\n
The benefits of leading with empathy<\/a> outweigh any misconceptions as to why a leader shouldn\u2019t show empathy.<\/p>\n Showing empathy engages others. Engagement and performance are highly correlated. When engagement is higher, performance also tends to be higher. <\/p>\n Furthermore, empathy is a relational skill. When relatedness is stronger, the bonds of a team are stronger. The team can face complex challenges successfully when team members:<\/p>\n Showing empathy when leading employees can be transformative for your team.<\/p>\n In today\u2019s work-life climate, leaders are under tremendous pressure to focus on business performance<\/a>, which is almost always the collective result of each individual’s performance. But there\u2019s also a heightened need to show empathy and compassion as part of a broader emphasis on employee wellbeing.<\/p>\n You may be asking, How can leaders serve their team members\u2019 needs and still deliver results when the business requires extraordinary effort to achieve success?<\/em><\/p>\n It all starts by engaging in conversations that connect.<\/strong><\/p>\n Conversations are the simple key to balancing both empathy and execution because they\u2019re the place where compassion and action converge \u2013 a formula for success.<\/p>\n When leaders are reacting to mountains of challenges, and the pressure to perform is high, it\u2019s easy to skip conversations with team members and attempt to drive results via email and directives distributed at meetings.<\/p>\n This tendency seems like a direct path to the desired outcomes, but it also eliminates nearly all opportunities to:<\/p>\n Typically, when leaders are feeling stressed about deliverables, they double down on managing tasks and cancel one-on-one meetings with team members. But there\u2019s a better choice. When the pressure is on, meaningful, efficient one-on-one meetings<\/a> are pure gold. Leaders may think they don\u2019t have time to connect, but the missed opportunity cost can be significant. Connect with the team.<\/p>\n At their best, these conversations happen with<\/em> a team member \u2013 rather than to<\/em> them. They\u2019re collaborative conversations about collective goals that explore how the manager and employee can solve problems together. It\u2019s time to confirm \u201cwe\u2019ve got this.\u201d<\/p>\n How do you find time to have conversations with each employee when your days are jammed with other meetings<\/a> and tasks? The answer can be simple: optimization. Master shorter, more intentional one-on-one meetings. A three-minute conversation can often change everything for the better.<\/p>\n Here are some tips for having short conversations that show empathy and<\/em> drive performance:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for questions to start off the conversation, try some of the following:<\/p>\n When a leader invites open dialogue and seeks to understand a team member\u2019s readiness to perform at their best, valuable information flows. Only then can you work together to co-create solutions that deliver results and address the team member\u2019s needs. These are moments when trust can be fortified. Be ready to connect, listen and support.<\/p>\n Leading with empathy can put organizations in the best position to achieve success. Despite the high pressure to perform, and seemingly logical choice to cut back on one-on-one time with employees when there\u2019s much work to be done, effective leaders stay connected and empathetic through intentional, meaningful conversations.<\/p>\n What really creates the most value for leaders? Investing a few focused minutes in conversations where empathy and compassion can fuel performance is a smart choice. Your conversations CAN change everything.<\/p>\n Download our e-book, How to develop a top-notch workforce that will accelerate your business<\/a>, for more ways to grow your business by leading your people well.<\/p>\n\n
Tension between compassion and performance<\/h2>\n
How to prioritize both empathy and execution<\/h2>\n
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Summing it all up<\/h2>\n