The best example of empathetic leadership I have ever experienced

I emphasize the importance of leading with empathy, and today, I want to share a real-life example that you can use immediately. Some years ago, when I was doing human-centered design consulting, I spent countless days in the field for a company, interacting with customers to enhance their experiences.

One day, out of the blue, the company's CEO joined us in the field – not to critique our methods, but to actually experience the customer's experience. Throughout the day, he observed, took notes and talked with customers. However, I soon realized that his purpose extended beyond empathizing with customers; he also aimed to empathize with us, the workers on the ground.

The following day, I received an email from him with three parts:
1️⃣ His observations
2️⃣ He identified the two most significant obstacles hindering our optimal performance
3️⃣ A detailed plan on how he intended to eliminate those obstacles for us.

Within a week, those obstacles were history. To this day, it remains the most powerful illustration of leading with empathy that I've encountered. This worked so well because he not only better understood our perspective and the perspective of the customer but also offered his unique perspective. He identified obstacles that we never would have identified, demonstrating the immense power of blending diverse viewpoints in leadership.

But you don't need to be out "in the field" to employ this approach, nor do you need to physically experience what others do. It is great if you can, but it's not mandatory for empathetic leadership.

But do reflect on how you can implement it in your role. At the very least, it demonstrates that you genuinely care about your people, fostering a reciprocal sense of care from your employees. This, in turn, fuels motivation and inspiration within your team.