Two Minute Drill: Engage With Empathy
What’s up Kaizenovators, happy Tuesday Two Minute Drill. Today’s topic of conversation is engagement with empathy. For so many years early and even kind of midway through my leadership journey, I would deal with really challenging and troubling times, and a dictator-like approach. And when things didn’t go well, I would even react with discipline, a disciplinary tone.
Don’t Be a Dictator
You probably know that approach does not work, so I will share it with you. Not only does it kill relationships with your team members, but it also kills the entire culture of the organization.
What I have learned through many failures, trials, tribulations, lots of reading, lots of learning, and lots of mentoring from some great coaches like Jeff Lecher, is that the most important thing I can do is engage with my team with empathy.
When you hire the right people, in the right seats, doing the right work in the right way, at the right time. When there are challenging times that are occurring, they are suffering just like you are. It is our role as leaders to engage with them with empathy.
How does that help? Well, first and foremost, it helps them understand where they are coming from, and what they are dealing with at that moment. Two, what that does, is build a stronger connection with you as a leader and help them feel safe. Three, all of that helps to provide a culture of problem-solving, the ability to not worry as much, and focus on solving the problems at hand.
Again, I highly recommend that when you are dealing with challenging times in your business or your practice, engage with your team with empathy, understand where they are coming from, connect with them, and then make sure that you focus on the solutions at hand and have as much fun as you can. That will also lighten the mood and help you engage your team in the most meaningful way possible.
That is this week’s Two Minute Drill. Have a great week.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome and appreciated!
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