Lead with Empathy is one of Incubate to Innovate’s ChangeMaker Mindsets™. Empathy is defined as the ability to take someone else’s perspective and place yourself in their position while understanding and sharing their feelings.
The mindset of Lead with Empathy asks a critical question: How can I listen well with a heart for understanding for others and their feelings? Empathy is foundational to creating solutions and opportunities that effectively meet the needs of those around us in impactful ways.
Take a moment and ponder these questions:
How can I Lead with Empathy in my sphere of influence? At work? At home? At school? In my community?
Empathy allows us to show compassion for human trials coupled with care to help solve problems and create opportunities. This is authentic leadership in action! However, the role of empathy in leadership is rarely discussed. Empathy moves beyond effective listening skills to understanding perspectives and fully engaging whether you agree or disagree.
When Leading with Empathy is practiced and modeled in leadership, a cultural shift for the positive will occur. Team members will soon begin to Lead with Empathy as well. When a leader shows that they want to improve themselves and experience transformation by growing and learning, they tend to also attract people with the same values to join the team and the efforts toward a vision. When we embrace this kind of mindset, the culture moves toward authentic compassion and collaboration.
In a complex and rapidly changing world, TRUST is gained when leaders make the courageous choice to Lead with Empathy.
What might it look like if you were purposeful in Leading with Empathy?
What are some next steps you can take to model this for others?
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