5 Ways Leaders Can Create an Empathetic Culture

I’m taking long walks around my neighborhood these days, partly because of the pandemic and mostly because of a 10-month-old puppy. 

Now that the political signs and holiday decorations are gone, I’m coming face-to-face with the remaining yard signs. They are delightfully motivational and uplifting. Kindness matters. Don’t give up. We’ll get through this together. Everything will be OK. Just breathe. You are enough. 

The heartening messages are telling many of us what we need to hear right now. It’s striking a chord with me and is also a good reminder to pass the encouragement on, because others may need to hear it, too. 

During the “unprecedented times,” we clung to the hope of returning to normal — and believed it would be soon. But by the time you read this article, we will have passed a milestone that at one time seemed unfathomable: a year of living through the uncertainty of a pandemic. We’re at a point where everyone has struggled with individual stresses and pressures. We are moving ahead cautiously, optimistically and, for some people, worriedly.

Over the past year, my teammates and I have shared and discussed ways to keep our company culture strong when we quickly shifted to a virtual workplace. Those tips for connection have worked well, but a bigger need is emerging: empathy. 

Showing empathy is critical all the time, but it’s even more important now. Fundamentally, our co-workers want to know that we care about them. It’s especially important when times are uncertain and people are struggling. As leaders, we need to understand and prioritize the needs of our team and use that understanding to guide our actions.

So how exactly can leaders show empathy, especially as we continue to work apart? It doesn’t have to be a huge or uncomfortable shift, especially if you already prioritize a team-focused culture. Here are five tips you can try:

1. Take baby steps.

Our agency culture is strengths-based with a focus on mentoring. This allows us to uncover what’s important to colleagues and help them carve out a path to learn, grow and progress in their agency role. 

If you don’t have mentoring relationships built in, then start small and prioritize finding out what is important to each of your team members. This could start with 1:1 conversations, a simple survey or a question of the week asked during the regular staff meeting. Build from there.

2. Show up.

I have weekly touch-base meetings with team members. They are valuable conversations to cover the nuts and bolts of agency work and it’s also a chance to share challenges and advice with one another. The internal meetings can be easiest to cancel, especially when client work flares up. Show up, be present and use that time to connect.

3. Realize that actions speak louder than words.

A co-worker dropped off a fun Christmas gift on my front porch which meant the world to me. One of my colleagues sent an Uber Eats gift card to a colleague and they enjoyed a breakfast meeting via Zoom together. 

You can show a fellow employee that you are thinking of them by mailing a card or dropping off a random gift. If the distance is too far apart, then emailing a gift card is a nice touch. Think creatively to surprise and delight your team, and be sure to include a personal note.

4. Have the courage to display empathy.

Maya Angelou said: “I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.” I interpret this as, “Be courageous enough to give and take.”

You have to be willing to both listen and share if you expect your co-workers to do the same. Start by fostering an environment where you encourage team members to share when they are having issues with clients, co-workers and certain tasks. This can be as easy as 1:1 virtual touch-base conversations, and when things improve, try a walk-and-talk to grab coffee. When a colleague is struggling with a task that didn’t go as planned, be vulnerable. Offer an anecdote of a time that you struggled — a recent example, not one that starts with, “When I was your age....” This will remind them that we’ve all faced and overcome struggles. 

5. Encourage one another.

Finally, people want to feel valued. When our team does a great job on a project, we praise them during our staff meeting by giving examples of what they did and why it matters. We award them with a “Flying High” award that includes the recognition — and a cash prize. Everyone wants to be rewarded for a job well done.

Just like the inspirational yard signs, people want to know that you see them. The author Brené Brown may have said it best: “Empathy is simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You’re not alone.’” 

If you have tips to create a more empathetic culture within your organization, then I’d love to hear them. Drop me a line at bcastellini@wordsworthweb.com; let’s have a virtual coffee and connect.