Empathetic Leaders Don’t Boss People Around

Empathetic leaders understand that they can create much more supportive and nurturing workplace cultures by not bossing people around. Instead, they lead in a way that encourages, validates, and inspires employees.

If you’ve ever worked for an empathetic leader, you know that they collaboratively set clear objectives, communicate effectively, and are there for people should they ask for help. This creates a work environment where staff are given the power to make decisions for themselves and use their talents and abilities.

A great way to start inspiring your employees instead of bossing them around is to be aware of when you are barking orders and simply stop and take a moment to regroup and devise a way to motivate people to do the work without giving commands. For example, you might try talking with employees about how they understand the task and what they would like to do to make it happen. The idea is to put the power in the employee’s hands rather than the leader’s.

The reason I recommend this approach is that I’ve noticed over the course of my consulting career that leaders who give their employees the power to make decisions and work autonomously build much healthier and productive workplaces.

Let’s work together to foster a supportive and nurturing workplace culture in your organization.