Quiet Quitting Part III: “Leading with Empathy”
Is it just us, or is the world really LOUD right now? It feels like we’ve been navigating through a lot of noise and chaos for a few years, and it does not seem to be getting any quieter.
And yet, many people are getting quieter. In our recent blogs on Quiet Quitting (parts 1 and 2), we highlighted the recent trends around people setting clearer boundaries between life and work.
So, what can we do to turn this loud (and quiet) into something even more productive?
How about leading with more empathy? We are closing out our previous Quiet Quitting blog posts with a conversation about the emotion of empathy. We felt it was the most fitting leadership competency to focus on as we continue to seek ways to engage people. And the first thing we learned – it’s not as straightforward as we thought.
WHAT IS EMPATHY?
As it turns out, empathy is an umbrella term with a collection of emotions tied to it. As highlighted in the ‘Best of 2021 – Empathy’ podcast from the NeuroLeadership Institute podcast (you should listen to it – the NeuroLeadership Institute puts out great research and makes it actionable), there are three types of empathy.
Sympathy (cognitive empathy) – trying to understand the other person from a cognitive basis; not personally feeling it – understanding from another person’s perspective.
Empathy (emotional empathy) – feeling what the other person is feeling; mirroring physical and emotional reactions.
Compassion (empathic response) – doing something to help the other person who is feeling distressed in some kind of effortful way.
This caught us by surprise.
So, empathy can contribute to quiet quitting and burnout through lack of connection due to cognitive empathy or by taking on too much emotional empathy. And empathy can counteract it by leading with the empathic response of compassion. Turns out that is true. Empathy is both good…and bad.
The field of neuroscience is proving the third type of empathy, compassion, makes a big difference. Leaders and teams can find great benefits in implementing compassion, without the drain of energy that can happen with other types of empathy. Compassion in the workplace gives people meaning. It helps people feel connected and part of a team that makes a difference. Why are we here together? Why are we a team? Read more about this in an article by David Rock – Stop telling managers to be empathetic. Try this instead.
WHY IS EMPATHY IMPORTANT?
There are leaders out there who are so goal-focused that their brains do not see emotion at the same level as others. They switch off the people networks in their brains and which leads to disengagement, reduced productivity, and ultimately not delivering on the results you are trying to get. To run a successful business, empathy is an essential component of leadership.
what can you do?
How do we become an empathic leader? Acts of compassion can come in many forms.
Encourage team members to take breaks; if you go for a walk, you'll get rewarded.
Implement minimal meeting mornings for quiet, creative, reflective work.
Help team members reduce meeting loads to 4-5 meetings a day so they have time to get their own work done.
Encourage time for meditation or breathing exercises. Even just taking 10 seconds to take a deep breath and release it can help recenter and bring about calm.
Offer team members a free subscription to Calm, Headspace, or another mindfulness app.
Helping people is rewarding – bring the team together for events that give back to the community and make a positive impact in multiple ways.
Ensure when new employees start in a virtual environment, you introduce them to a network of individuals that can help them find their way. Give them lots of people to lean on when they need help.
Keep offering a flexible work environment.
Bring people together for a picnic, or for time to celebrate an accomplishment or even a birthday.
It is much harder to motivate people in our current climate. By providing opportunities to show compassion, you are making an emotional connection and strengthening the positive networks in the brain. This leads to better relationships and more attachment. It is essential as we continue to navigate the noise or ‘quiet’ in our world today.
Be sure to download our freebie that includes ideas for bringing about more compassion in the workplace.
upside FreebieS
Download our Activity Sheet to create and improve team engagement!
