Unlocking Empathy in Leadership: How Connecting with Universal Emotions Can Transform Your Team Dynamics
When I teach managers about empathy I deal with wrong assumptions.
They have a hard time empathizing with their teams.
Because they don’t have shared experiences.
Here’s the thing…
We all have different experiences.
And empathy isn’t about going through the same thing.
Its about connecting with the underlying emotions, not the specific circumstances.
As leaders, our job isnt to match every experience our team members go through.
Thats impossible.
Our role is to tap into the universal emotions that these experiences evoke
– Frustration – Ambition – Hope – Fear
When a team member is struggling, connect with the emotion.
For example, you don’t need to be a single parent to show that you understand added pressure, responsibility, and fear of failure.
Show that you understand fear, not the specific fear.
It fosters a culture of genuine understanding and support.
Not one limited by (or centered around) our own experiences.
Let’s connect with our teams on a different level.
I dive deeper into empathy in my newsletter this week.
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Reach out to me if you’ve been struggling with this. I’m here for you!
