The more people talk about artificial intelligence and robots, the more it prompts them to think about what people themselves are. Knowledge and understanding of how a person, a team, and communication are structured are useful not only in personal life, but also increase the capitalization of enterprises. It is profitable.
The focus on developing emotional intelligence and better communication techniques has led to the planet actively talking about “empathic leadership.” It’s time to find out what it is and where it came from.
In 1804, the human population first reached the 1 billion mark. In the 21st century, the planet’s population exceeded 8 billion. When Yuri Gagarin flew into space and humanity entered the “space age”, the Sustainable Development Goals were approved at the UN level , including at the social level.
This is a recognition of the values of well-being, decent work, partnership, justice. The origin of the UN SDGs is the acceptance of the idea that there are many of us, people need to get along with each other and learn to benefit from what we have, because the Earth is one, and there is nowhere to escape from it yet.
The SDGs are closely linked to advances in science and technology, including in the field of cognitive science . Developed countries have noted that in a post-industrial society, productivity in large corporations is falling sharply, which negatively affects not only dividend payments, but also the very prospects for the existence of these corporations.
In the course of detailed investigations it became clear that modern companies have been overtaken by a “medieval curse”: people have stopped communicating with each other. At the corporate level, the medieval practice of “My vassal’s vassal is not my vassal” has become widespread, leading to a lack of information, permissiveness, inefficiency and burnout .
It was in these conditions that the concept of “empathic leadership” was born as a cure for the above-mentioned symptoms.
Empathic leadership as a subtype of conscious leadership
Optimal team performance is measured not only by the sum of individual skills, but also by the synergy created between its members. Competent communication and mutual trust are fundamental principles that enable each individual to contribute, creating an environment that encourages collaboration.
By setting clear goals and defined roles, a team leader develops a sense of belonging that propels the group toward collective success.
In today’s dynamic and challenging business environment, the concept of leadership is evolving. It is no longer just about achieving financial goals or productivity. In line with the social agenda of the UN SDGs and the focus on ESG, it is about a deep sense of social responsibility. This approach, known as conscious leadership, not only improves the well-being of teams, but also increases the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of organizations.
Conscious leadership is an approach to management that combines self-awareness, empathy, and a commitment to the well-being of employees and society at large.
A conscious leader focuses not only on the results but also on the process, ensuring that decisions made benefit all involved and do not harm the environment or the community.
This type of leadership promotes a work environment where open communication, trust and mutual respect are highly valued.
Conscious leaders are those who are able to recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others, manage them effectively, and make decisions that reflect a balance between individual and collective well-being.
The keys to developing conscious leadership are:
- Developing self-awareness.Self-awareness is the cornerstone of conscious leadership. It involves being in tune with your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how they impact others. Mindfulness practices and meditation help develop this skill, allowing you to be more present and aware of your daily interactions.
- Cultivating empathy.A conscious leader is able to put themselves in their employees’ shoes to approach problems and conflicts from a more human perspective. This not only improves relationships within the team, but also creates a more productive work environment.
- Promoting social responsibility.A conscious leader cares not only about the well-being of their team, but also about the organization’s impact on society. This includes implementing sustainable practices, promoting diversity and inclusion, and participating in initiatives that benefit the community.
- Developing communication skills.Effective communication is critical to conscious leadership. This involves actively listening to others, expressing yourself clearly and respectfully, and being open to feedback. A conscious leader creates a space where everyone feels heard and valued, which helps to create a positive, collaborative work environment.
- Ethical decision making.A conscious leader makes decisions based on ethical and moral values, considering the long-term impact on all parties involved. This involves carefully weighing the consequences of each decision and ensuring that they are consistent with the organization’s core values and its commitment to social responsibility.
A key element of conscious leadership is the art of communicating with people. You can master it in our online program “Best Communication Techniques” .
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Applying Conscious Leadership
To apply this skill to team management, it is important to create a work environment that values collaboration, transparency, and personal growth.
Here are some practical strategies:
- Set a common goal.Make sure that all team members understand and share the organization’s goals and values. A clear, common goal motivates employees to work together to achieve it. Without a goal, there is a high risk of substituting the quality of work with its pace, when the workload and functionality increase endlessly, but human strength and abilities do not.
- Promote personal development.Encourage the personal and professional growth of the team by providing training, mentoring, and constructive feedback. A conscious leader cares about the comprehensive development of their employees.
- Create a supportive environment.This is an environment where employees feel supported and valued. This includes recognizing and celebrating achievements, as well as providing the necessary support during difficult times.
- Increase flexibility.This is the key to maintaining work-life balance. A conscious leader understands the importance of this balance and looks for ways to meet individual needs without sacrificing productivity.
Conscious leadership is more than a trend. It is a transformative approach that can significantly improve work dynamics and organizational results. By developing self-awareness, empathy, and social responsibility, leaders can create more engaged, innovative, and resilient teams [ Zentrum Coaching, 2024 ].
Empathy as a valuable endangered species
Over the past decades, large businesses with the resources to shape their own values have come to the same conclusions that humanity has reached over millennia of existence: people are not expendable. Humanism is not a luxury, but a necessity for building a healthy organization.
So if you are skeptical about all of the above, don’t worry. Skepticism in the early stages is normal: humanity didn’t give up slavery right away, either, but only when it became unprofitable.
Empathic leadership is positioning itself as a new need for companies.
What is empathy to you? For Ways of Being author Carl Rogers, for example, empathy “means entering into another person’s private world of perception and feeling completely at ease, so that one’s own opinions and values are put aside to enter a world free of prejudice.”
Interest in empathic leadership is fueled by recent trends caused by the growing pace of life in modern society, the widespread spread of aggression and irritation. And it would be good if the matter was limited only to elongated faces in supermarkets, rudeness on social networks and everyday boorishness.
Sociologists and anthropologists are beginning to think that empathy is not static. Quite the contrary, the ability to consciously empathize is sharply declining in modern society. Scientists from the University of Michigan conducted a study that found that empathy among college students has decreased by 40% compared to measurements taken in the 1980s and 1990s [ University of Michigan, 2010 ].
In this context, empathic leadership is also positioned as a very powerful tool for restoring a collaborative work environment.
Empathic leadership is defined as a business management style that focuses on understanding and connecting emotionally with employees. This type of leadership is not just about listening, but connecting on a deep emotional level, creating a more humane work environment.
One of the authors of the concept of empathic leadership, Doctor of Administrative Sciences from Mexico Guillermo Velasquez Valadez defines it as “a leadership style that allows the leader to put himself in the place of the followers thanks to the knowledge he may have about people, their competencies and social skills, as well as their ability to intervene and integrate in order to form a work team that creates added value; in this way, competitive advantages are created in organizations, in addition to increasing productivity through innovation in production processes” [ UNAM, 2005 ].
Empathy enables leaders to more competently resolve conflicts, offering solutions that benefit all involved. By creating a space where every voice is heard and valued, trust is built and creativity within the team is enhanced. In this sense, empathy-based leadership is not only a trend, but a necessity for those seeking sustainable results in an increasingly interconnected world of work.
Empathetic, effective business leaders not only transform their organizations, but also inspire their teams to reach their full potential. By creating an environment of trust and open communication, these leaders become catalysts for positive change, stimulating innovation and collaboration.
Since empathic leadership was born in the West, the example most often cited is Satya Nadella, who revived Microsoft. His approach inspired many leaders, emphasizing the importance of listening and adapting to the needs of others.
Likewise, Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, has shown that empathetic leadership not only improves the work environment, but also helps the company become more efficient and resilient in an ever-changing marketplace. Both leaders are shining examples of how empathy can transform organizations.
Advantages
Empathic leadership has many benefits in the work environment. Among the most notable are improved work environment and increased team morale.
According to a study conducted by Harvard University, it was found that companies with empathetic leaders can outperform their competitors by 25%. This leadership style not only promotes employee loyalty, but also improves organizational performance by creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard [ Harvard Business School, 2019 ].
Additionally, this type of leadership encourages inclusivity and reduces employee turnover. Another important benefit is increased innovation, as empathy in the workplace promotes psychological safety, allowing employees to experiment and generate new ideas without fear of failure.
The intersection of empathy and motivation plays a critical role in increasing employee engagement. A study conducted by Stanford University found that organizations that create an empathetic environment can increase employee engagement by up to 30% [ Stanford University, 2019 ].
Empathy also plays a critical role in conflict management, especially in corporate environments where tensions can arise from differences in opinions, goals, or even work styles. According to a Princeton University study, leaders who demonstrate empathic skills are 60% more effective at resolving conflicts than those who take a more authoritarian approach.
A notable example is the case of Starbucks, which, following controversy in 2018 over a discrimination incident in one of its stores, decided to temporarily close more than 8,000 stores to conduct racial empathy training. This action not only demonstrated the company’s commitment to its values, but also highlighted the importance of empathetic leadership that listens to and cares about the well-being of all employees and customers.
In developed countries, it is generally agreed that most of the best leaders have empathy because this quality allows them to pick up on the emotional pulse of the organization and be in tune with others, which leads to a more creative approach to problem solving. As Stephen Covey said, “When you have deep empathy for others, then you can be more creative in solving problems.”
Three key points
Obviously, not everything is so rosy. Leaders walk a fine line and must always be on guard. They should remember:
- Don’t confuse empathy with sympathy.It can be perceived as condescension, intrusiveness or nepotism.
- Don’t forget to leave the office.Building empathy starts with conversations: It’s the job of leaders to explain why they think something is important and to make clear their motivation—to see their employees and the company thrive.
- Remember to listen, listen, and listen.Keeping lines of communication open and creating a safe space where people can be truly honest is critical to empathic leadership.
“We do not see things as they are, but as we are.” What happens to another belongs to the other, and our empathy is connected with who we ourselves are, i.e. with our own interpretation.
Examples of Empathic Leadership
Western transnational corporations were among the first to seize on the new idea, putting the theory into practice. Here’s what they came up with:
- Tech company Salesforce launched a program called Ohana, which means “family” in Hawaiian. It fostered a sense of belonging and support among team members, leading to a 26% increase in employee retention. Salesforce also implemented a practice called “Employee Voices” to listen to employee suggestions for improving the work environment. Salesforce’s 2022 Sustainability Report highlighted that those looking to implement this methodology are advised to create a safe space for communication where the team can express concerns and ideas without fear of retaliation.
- Deloitte has launched feedback sessions where employees can voice their opinions on leadership style. This improves internal communication and a sense of community. In addition, participation in emotional intelligence workshops equips leaders with the tools they need to engage more effectively with their teams.
- Procter & Gamble Corporation has opened platforms for open dialogue between managers and employees.
- Clothing company Patagonia, known for its open and transparent work culture, has introduced informal lunches and other one-on-one meetings to help employees feel safe sharing their concerns.
This approach is fundamentally different from the post-Soviet practice, when an employee’s complaint precedes his dismissal and the inclusion of his case on the “black list” of the internal security service, which distributes this “dirty linen” to other companies so that they are notified of “unreliable and dangerous elements” who “extort rights.”
Characteristics of an Empathic Leader
What kind of people do managers who use this style of leadership need to be to be considered empathic leaders? Here’s what they look like:
- They must spread their dynamism and energy with a high level of enthusiasm.
- Communication with subordinates should be warm and close, which contributes to job satisfaction.
- Situations need to be examined calmly and serenely, with rational solutions offered.
- The interests of the company must be put above personal interests, showing fairness in your decisions.
- They should facilitate constructive communication of employee criticism, desires or needs by practicing active listening.
- They must realize that they do not have absolute truth, be humble and realize that they can make mistakes.
Empathic leadership is directly related to the concept of emotional intelligence. You can learn more about it and test yourself in our online program “Emotional Intelligence: Practical Techniques” .
How to implement empathic leadership?
To effectively implement empathic leadership, you need to focus on several key aspects.
Here they are:
- Work on developing self-awareness. It is important for leaders to understand and manage their emotions in order to better empathize with their employees.
- Practice active listening. Practice listening attentively, without distraction, and focus on understanding others’ points of view. Equally important is creating an atmosphere of psychological safety. Encourage your employees to express their opinions and share concerns without fear of judgment.
- Involve your team in defining shared goals.This creates a sense of shared purpose. It also develops emotional agility. Understanding how change and transformation affect employees emotionally is vital to maintaining a positive and productive work environment.
Specific ways to implement empathic leadership are as follows:
- Design Thinking: It promotes a deep understanding of human needs. Using qualitative research methods such as interviews and focus groups, managers can identify areas for improving work dynamics and engaging employee experiences.
- Communication and empathy training.Workshops on active listening and conflict resolution can be a great first step.
- Conducting job satisfaction surveys.This can help identify areas for improvement and monitor the effectiveness of current strategies. Since we mentioned the UN SDGs, the concept of FPIC – the need to obtain free, prior and informed consent – should be remembered when applying such surveys.
- Regular recognition of individual and team efforts. This enhances the sense of belonging and achievement.
- Mentoring system.Each team member is assigned an “empathy buddy” who, at best, surpasses them in experience and competence. In any case, this option is better than standing in a queue of several thousand people to see a full-time psychologist who works at best a couple of hours a week.
Not only do these strategies help build bridges between employees, but they also help create a more humane work environment.
How to improve your own empathy?
The ability to lead with empathy is rooted in a healthy attitude toward people and toward oneself, which is demonstrated by the ability to ask oneself: “Can I develop my empathy for the benefit of the group?” Unhealthy people, including psychopaths , usually do not have this thought, because they do not consider it necessary to change anything in themselves.
The following actions are useful for increasing your own empathy :
- Active listening.The more you practice this, the better you become at it. Pay attention to the other person and their message often, emphasizing what they want to convey, not only in your words, but also with special attention to their tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions. Interpret nonverbal speech. Attention to the other person is an excellent source of information about their state of mind and the overall situation in the company.
- Refusing to interrupt.This is not just about interrupting. Openly expressing disagreement can prevent the other person from clearly explaining their arguments in the allotted time.
- Addressing by name. Addressing an employee by name several times during a conversation, and even mentioning a family member, makes the employee feel needed and respected. Don’t miss this opportunity.
- A smiling leader always calms down in any conversation and makes the interlocutor feel more comfortable.
- Engagement:Leaders are encouraged to engage more reserved people in conversation by showing interest in their opinions.
- Recognizing achievements.Congratulating an employee for a job well done, especially publicly, will make them feel valued and useful, thereby increasing motivation, engagement, and therefore commitment to the company.
- Showing interest.Small gestures, such as asking about hobbies or weekends, create a much-needed atmosphere of trust in the team, which strengthens leadership [ El Siete, 2021 ].
When employees feel that their leaders care about them, it creates an atmosphere of sincerity and gratitude that strengthens collaboration, creativity and innovation, which are essential elements of business success in today’s marketplace.
Problems and solutions
Implementing empathic leadership can present certain challenges.
One of the most important is overcoming resistance to change. Employees and managers may be resistant to a new approach simply because it is new. To address this, it is important to clearly communicate the benefits of empathic leadership and offer training.
Maintaining a balance between empathy and authority can also be challenging. It’s important for leaders to be empathetic, but they must also maintain the authority needed to make tough decisions. This can be achieved by setting clear boundaries and expectations from the start.
Finally, ongoing training in empathic leadership is critical. Such individuals must demonstrate a willingness to continually learn and adapt. Providing resources and opportunities for professional development in this area can help maintain commitment to this leadership style.
Empathetic leadership is a privilege that must be constantly demonstrated in words and actions, and not rest on laurels. It is a path that will be mastered by those who walk in the right direction.