An executive leading a team recently expressed her frustration with her team’s perceived lack of productivity during a group discussion. According to her, the team was just not moving! And her frustration was that she couldn’t put a finger on it! Leadership has always been a challenging role, and the stress and burnout of managers are on the rise. According to a November 2021 Gallup survey, 35% of people managers reported frequent burnout, compared to 27% of individual contributors and 22% of leaders.
When the pressure mounts, managers may become more irritable and prone to judgment rather than empathetic responses. However, this approach is counterproductive. In healthy workplace environments, leaders balance accountability for results with empathy, focusing on reflection rather than reaction. Long-term success hinges on how goals are achieved, not just short-term accomplishments. Engaging employees and providing developmental feedback are crucial for growth.
Our call to action for leaders is to pause and reflect instead of reacting to high demands with frustration and judgment.
Here are six questions to help leaders prioritize empathy while encouraging performance:
- Have I clearly communicated expected work outcomes? Effective communication of expectations for roles, deliverables, support, and results is essential. Clear guidelines on project quality and impact empower employees to organize their resources efficiently.
- Are my expectations reasonable? Leaders should evaluate the resources available for a project and provide guidance accordingly, particularly for challenging tasks. Support, approval, and timeline assessments are vital.
- What do I know about this employee? Leaders should consider the whole person when assessing performance, including knowledge, skills, and personal circumstances. A downturn in performance may be linked to personal challenges, which require empathetic support.
- Am I managing for results? Focus on the outcomes rather than micromanaging the process. Recognize and respect diverse working styles and align individual work with the organization’s larger goals.
- Am I holding everyone to the same standard? Unconscious biases can affect evaluations, so leaders must consider whether they treat all team members equally. A focus on results can help mitigate such biases.
- Am I providing clear, firm, and kind feedback? Timely feedback is essential, as it prevents issues from festering. Encourage employees to share their experiences and build trust through candid conversations.
Self-reflection is an investment that pays off. Companies benefit from managers who prioritize strong relationships with their employees, resulting in higher loyalty, trust, productivity, and job satisfaction. Using these reflection questions can help bridge the gap between expectations and performance. Choosing to drive performance with empathy is the true competitive advantage that distinguishes managers from leaders.
By Tony Olaka – Management Consultant
