If you have a work at home business with employees or independent contractors, you are expected
to be a leader. You must develop a team of productive people with positive
attitudes. This is easier said than done and it requires you to have several
skills. One of these is empathy, or being aware of and understanding the
feelings, thoughts, and experiences of other people. Entrepreneurs must not
only understand these attributes of their team members, they must also understand
how they are perceived by these individuals.
It is not easy to gain awareness about ourselves and other
people. Being in a position of power can make this even more difficult, say
experts. It is natural for an employee to pay more attention to supervisors,
managers, and others more highly-ranked within the company. The individuals in
those positions must be aware of this and tailor their speech and actions
accordingly. This bias may put them at a disadvantage but it is nothing they
cannot overcome.
Whether you consider yourself empathetic and want to improve
your skills or you are developing your empathy from scratch, practice will help
you achieve your goals. When you are in a group setting, take a step back and
observe yourself. Whether this means getting permission to record a team
meeting in audio or video format or doing a quick evaluation after each time
you speak, it will be helpful.
Good leaders realize
that each team member is different and brings a unique skill set to the table.
To identify these differences, listen to members of the team and take note of
their behaviors and reactions. This will help you infer their feelings and
thoughts. Assume the role of observer at the next team meeting, noting the
dynamics between team members. Once you have identified the unique qualities of
each person, you can integrate this information into your leadership of the
team.
If empathy is not inherent, get assistance from an
empathetic member of your management team. Ask this individual for help in understanding
other team members. In addition, request feedback regarding your leadership
behavior. Having someone you trust as an ally in your quest to develop empathy
makes the process much easier. Even the most notable corporate leaders, like
Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook, take this approach.
While attempting to be more empathetic, do not confuse your
efforts with being nicer. Empathy is not to be used as a method to get approval
from the team or as an answer to issues. It should be used only when needed and
in the appropriate settings. Good leaders need not be the nicest people but
they should be in touch with the strengths and weaknesses of their team members
and know what motivates these individuals.
Once you become a more empathetic leader, you will notice
positive changes within your home business. The team will work better together
and with you, which should increase productivity and the effectiveness of
subgroups. At the end of the day, everyone will feel understood and will be
motivated to achieve new goals.
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