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Empathy Improves Productivity

Hey, everybody, I’m super excited to be here with you today.

I think it’s really important when we’re thinking about making our teams more productive, that we also think about empathy, that we also think about what our teams need what they’re experiencing at any given time that we respond to them first, as human beings. We don’t see them as machinery to extract value from, but real people who we can help find fulfilment, and help them have an excitement about the work they do to feel proud of the work that they do. I think that being a part of a team that’s functional is one of the biggest gifts we can give to other human beings that we interact with. Being a part of a team is a really unique experience. And being part of a great team is more fulfilling than cash, or bonuses, or any of those things to feel like you’re striving and that you are cared about as you strive. That doesn’t mean that we should make the work easy for our teams.

In fact, I would believe after years of being a coach that being challenged is one of the most fulfilling things for a team being asked to do impossible things. But there’s a real empathy as a leader is knowing how hard to push how far to push. I think new leaders really struggle with this. They can see their team as something that through force of character they can extract value from instead of as treasured human beings who we’re all striving toward the same goal. That’s where empathy really comes into play, being empathetic, empathetic, understanding that the team member may be in pain, and then responding to that. And then asking them to come back. And to dig a little deeper, to find a little more to stretch themselves toward a common goal. That empathy creates productivity.

It isn’t the lack of empathy, being tough is something I hear, I have to be tough, I have to hold people accountable. I actually the longer I coach, the less I believe that and the more I believe that seeing people as human beings, and holding them as they struggle and strive is a powerful place in leadership, rather than being tough to extract value, to get them to do something to give them tight deadlines and forced them hard. It’s a gentleness where you smile and also ask them to strive more than they may have ever done before. I hope that this is helpful, I hope this little minute talking about empathy. It isn’t for its own sake, it’s actually in service to the work that we have empathy for. I hope this has been useful to you and go experiment.

 

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