The Most Important Leadership Skill, has always been a crucial leadership talent, but it is now taking on a new meaning and importance. It is far from a soft approach, and it has the potential to produce major business benefits.

You’ve always known that demonstrating empathy benefits people, but recent study shows that it’s critical for everything from invention to retention. To create the conditions for engagement, satisfaction, and performance, great leadership demands a perfect blend of all kinds of talents, and empathy is at the top of the list of what leaders must get right.

The Effects of Stress

 

People are under a lot of stress, and evidence suggests that it’s being influenced by the pandemic—and the way our lives and work have been turned upside down.

• Mental well-being. According to a global study conducted by Qualtrics, 42% of respondents have experienced a mental health decrease. Specifically, 67 percent of people are feeling more stressed, 57 percent are feeling more anxious, and 54 percent are feeling emotionally drained. 53 percent of individuals are depressed, 50% are irritable, 28% are having trouble concentrating, 20% are taking longer to complete work, 15% are having difficulty thinking, and 12% are finding it difficult to combine their duties.

 

• Personal Experiences. When we are anxious at work, our sleep is harmed, according to a study published in Occupational Health Science. Employees who receive disrespectful emails at work are more likely to experience negativity and spillover into their personal lives, particularly with their spouses, according to research from the University of Illinois. Furthermore, a Carleton University study discovered that when people face incivility at work, they feel less capable in their parenting.

 

• Performance, Turnover, and Customer Experience are all important factors to consider. When people are treated rudely at work, their performance declines, and they are less willing to help others, according to a study published in the Academy of Management Journal. Workplace incivility is on the rise, according to a recent Georgetown University study, and the consequences are wide-ranging, including decreased performance and collaboration, deteriorated customer experiences, and greater attrition.

FINAL NOTE: In leadership skill, Don’t mix empathy with being kind or making people happy. You might pick up on another person’s thoughts and sentiments and purposely ignore them. Alternatively, you can use it to your advantage. In essence, empathy is a non-judgmental data collection tool that allows you to better comprehend the human environment in which you do business and, as a result, make better predictions, develop better tactics, inspire loyalty, and communicate clearly.