5 Keys for Sustainable and Empathic Leadership
Happy employees are (without competition) the best marketing a company can have, but still, it is not always the highest priority for managers and employers. WHY!? is the big question I ask myself – and here I list my best tips to a sustainable and empathic leadership, that all leaders should start to practice already today.
1. Forget the word boss - embrace inspiring leadership
One thing we must sort out early. Boss is a title (quite boring one if we are honest) while a leader is a person who creates a positive influence on others. Peter Drucker says that "the only definition of a leader is someone who has followers." A true leader does not have to take the lead or point with the whole hand - but is content to show the way forward in a way that makes others feel involved and inspired to join the journey!
2. Understand the true meaning of a team
What is the definition of a team? Well, not just people who work together in the same place, that’s for sure! A real team is something so much more. A group of different individuals who respect each other and enjoy working together. Who are on the same side and committed to strive toward a shared goal. Real leaders know that the spirit in a team is everything and that it starts with a healthy work culture but also a supporting, empathetic and inspiring leadership.
3. Do not treat everyone the same
A true leader knows that treating employees fairly has never meant treating them the same. Everyone in a team is unique, and it is your job as a leader to find out how your employees want to develop professionally, how they like to receive feedback, be managed and so on. When you reject their individuality, you suppress the strengths of their contributions.
4. Take "emotional contagion" seriously
According to psychology, "emotional contagion" is about how we constantly, whether we like it or not, "capture" emotions from the people around us. All this usually happens immediately and completely unconsciously. Just as joy and security can be built in a workplace and result in improved collaborations, satisfied employees and a higher level of performance – anxiety and feelings of fear can spread like wildfire through an office and lower the morale but also productivity enormously, says Dr Judith Orloff, author to The Empath's Survival Guide.
5. Empathy is the biggest key
Ernst & Young’s 2021 Empathy in Business Survey showed around 50% of employees quit a previous job because their boss wasn’t empathetic to their struggles at work or in their personal lives. The survey showed that nearly 90% of workers believe empathetic leadership creates loyalty, and 85% say that it increases productivity. Do I have to say more?
To sum up – employees who feel good do a good job!
It's not harder math than that! Good guidelines for creating a good work culture are to inspire to a healthy balance between work and leisure and let employees feel seen, listened to, included, appreciated and needed. Only then can they reach their full potential!
Name: Cassandra Brunstedt
Age: 34 years
Lives: Ekerö
Does: PR and content manager with around ten years of experience as a leader for both large and small teams. Founder of the magazine Mothr (mothr.se) and author of the debut novel "En enkel till Indien '' which will be published on April 20.
Instagram: Cassandra.brunstedt
