Human-Centered Leadership: Why Empathy Matters
The Transformative Power of Empathy in Leadership
A few years ago, I received an urgent call from a prominent tech leader. He needed help with one of his brightest emerging leaders, Lisa (name changed). Lisa was a star employee—brilliant, savvy, and highly solution-oriented. However, there was a significant hurdle: she wasn’t allowed to interact with high-value clients.
The Problem: Lack of Connection
Lisa had a remarkable ability to analyze problems and present solutions. But there was a missing piece: empathy. She would jump straight into solving problems without building rapport first, which often turned clients off. Emotional intelligence skills such as social awareness, empathy, and connection were not her strengths.
Our Journey: Building Human-Centered Leadership Skills
We embarked on a three-month coaching journey, focusing on the critical skills of human-centered leadership. Our coaching sessions emphasized the following points:
The Breakthrough: Empathy and Connection
Within weeks, Lisa’s empathy and connection skills began to soar. She was soon trusted to meet with key clients, proving that with growth in self-awareness and empathy, her potential was limitless.
Empathy in Leadership: A Crucial Component
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, perfectly captured this at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology commencement:
A survey revealed that 80% of CEOs agree: empathy is crucial for team dynamics, collaboration, resilience, and morale. Forbes magazine declared, “Empathy is the most important leadership skill according to research.”
The Long-Term Value of Empathy
Remember, without authentic care and empathy, leaders might achieve short-term results, but in the long-term, they risk hollowing out their organization’s human capital.
Start your journey towards becoming a more empathetic leader today. Reflect on how you can integrate empathy into your daily interactions and witness the transformative impact it can have on your team and organization.
Here’s to empathy in your leadership!
–Steve
As a master storyteller, Steve has unparalleled ability to communicate dynamic business and leadership truths through stories, anecdotes and humor. Harness the power of the “number one” predictor of professional success, impact, leadership, high performance and sustainable relationships in business and life. Steve’s highest rated keynote presentation.
To book Steve today, contact Michelle Joyce!
(For information on keynote presentations, team workshops, and one on one coaching.)
“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”
About the Author
Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a Seattle-based leadership development company. Steve is a dynamic, highly-sought-after speaker who has delivered more than 2,500 presentations to a list of clients including Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Pandora Radio, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Corporation, the Ritz Carlton group, and the U.S. Social Security Administration. He recently was voted #1 by the readership of Huffington Post as the Most Inspirational Leader on Social Media.
A published author on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve resides near Seattle with his wife Julie where they enjoy time with their three adult children and six grandchildren.
