Casey Huebsch is Founder and President of South End Partners, helping companies discover, hire and retain exceptional talent.
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Many of the business leaders I talk to daily tell me they are struggling to attract and retain talented employees who drive results.
In the current economy, many leaders are focusing on bottom-line results and putting pressure on their teams to perform. It’s easy to think this is not the time for compassionate leadership. But in fact, it's never been more important.
Compassion is key.
Research shows that organizations and leaders who value and show compassion have employees who are less likely to burn out and who are more engaged with and committed to their work.
Being a compassionate leader means coaching and guiding your team toward success. It's not about reducing workload or ignoring targets and KPIs. It doesn't mean accepting bad behavior or avoiding providing critical feedback and coaching. It's about helping your team become highly engaged and high-performing so they can achieve the results you are looking for.
Think about your own career experiences. Who are you more likely to burn the midnight oil for to get a project done on deadline? Is it the boss whose only interaction with you is to drill into your progress toward quarterly targets and constantly provide you with tough love? Or is it the manager who took you out for coffee last week to check in and chat about that course you are taking?
We all perform better for leaders who show compassion.
What does it mean to be a compassionate leader?
Compassion means having positive intentions and authentic concern for others. Compassionate leaders see their team as vital contributors to the organization as well as on a deeper level, as people. They aim to genuinely understand each team member's needs and support them to achieve their goals. They are servant leaders with high standards who know that to achieve great business results, you need to inspire those around you to buy into your vision.
A compassionate leader doesn't ask, "What’s in it for me?" but is always asking, "How can I make this better for both of us?"
They build people up while coaching them toward targets and goals, and as a result, they build stronger cohesion among their team, improving collaboration, trust and loyalty.
Compassionate leadership is not just a "nice to have" when times are good. In fact, it's a scientifically proven approach to better team performance and stronger talent retention.
Compassionate leaders focus on these four steps.
Here are four ways to use compassionate leadership to drive results, performance and engagement in your team.
1. Figure out what matters.
Many of us think we have a good understanding of what makes our team tick, but too often we don't. And if you don't know what matters to your team, what their career aspirations are, what they are excited about or what keeps them up at night, you cannot truly support them.
Rather than assuming you have all the answers, start by actively listening and learning from your team. Whether you are having a scheduled one-on-one with a team member or a casual interaction, take the opportunity to ask direct and specific questions to help you uncover the important things.
2. Create a safe space.
Compassionate leaders know that everyone makes mistakes; the key is what you learn and how you refine your approach as a result. When you create a safe space for your team you are creating an environment that leads to high performance. Why? Because in a safe space, team members feel safe speaking up when they have questions or concerns; they can disagree with each other (and with you); they can make mistakes and take risks. This means that problems get identified and solved before it's too late and that new ideas are brought to the table regularly.
The best way for leaders to create a safe space and build trust is to lead by example. Show your team members how you handle mistakes and failures, and be open to their feedback.
3. Don't forget the little things.
It's easy to focus on the looming deadline or quarterly targets, but the day-to-day interactions and small gestures you have with your team are what will get you to your finish line. It may seem basic but remembering birthdays, asking how a team member’s child did at their school track meet or asking how their weekend was goes a long way toward building a relationship with your team that will be able to survive and thrive when the pressure hits.
4. Coach with compassion.
One of the most impactful opportunities for compassionate leadership is when giving feedback and coaching. When you show empathy when delivering feedback, especially tough feedback or criticism, you build trust with your team and set them up for success.
How can leaders coach with compassion? Start by listening actively and checking your own emotions at the door; then, work on developing solutions to the problems you have identified collaboratively.
Walk the talk.
Our words as leaders are important, but nothing speaks louder than our actions. So make sure you back up what you say to your team with action. When you respond to concerns or feedback from your team or when you commit to a plan, do what you say you will. This is particularly critical when your team needs you to advocate for them across the organization or when moving forward after a setback.
We live in a world where results matter. As a leader, I would never advocate that you take your eye off your goals or stop looking for ways to improve results. Being a compassionate leader helps you build a stronger, more engaged team and develop employees faster, which are all the ingredients for driving successful high-performing teams.
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