Empathy matters
How often do you take the time to check in with your team? I don’t mean checking in on their work and deliverables; I mean asking how they’re doing and feeling.
“How are you feeling after the changes we made on the project management?”
“What support do you need to succeed in what you are doing?”
“I noticed you seem different today. Is everything okay with you?”
In his brilliant speech on Empathy, Simon Sinek notes the difference between managers and leaders. A manager takes care of the day-to-day and people’s output. A leader takes care of its people.
As humans, we’ll all experience challenges with health, families, relationships and unexpected life circumstances, which can impact our mental health, engagement at work and output. To see great results we need to look after our people as humans.
Empathy matters. By asking the right questions at the right time, your words may prompt a person who is struggling to speak up and accept support. Don’t do it because it’s your duty; do it because you care.
Where Corporate meets Wellness is when you consciously use empathy at work to support each other in good times and bad. We are all humans doing our best to navigate unprecedented times. Be a leader.
Photo by Kraken