18. As a Leader, Be Empathetic

Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s experience, perspective, and feelings. With sympathy, you may have compassion for the other person and their circumstances, but you do not put yourself in their shoes. So, what many of you have for those you are leading is sympathy and not empathy. I remember a woman that owned a shop and sells body creams, she had a staff them and was very loyal, I see her go to work before 8 am every day and she resumes before 8 am every day. This staff came late one day in the rain, the woman pitied her and told her she should have been in the office earlier than when she was just coming.  This boss had sympathy for the staff, yes, but she’s not empathetic, she did not put herself in the staff's shoe and asked herself what she would have done if she was in the lady's shoe. This is what followers look forward to from their leaders, they want someone that listens.  That lady wanted an empathetic leader, someone that would say to him, look I understand you come here every day before the resumption time, this rain must have been the reason behind your lateness, maybe next time I should have passed through your home and pick you up with my car since I came through your way.  That’s it, empathy, understanding, and seeing things from the perspective of your followers. GYLT. Mess2Sucess