Walk a mile in their Shoes
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To better understand how leaders can be effective in their jobs, the Center for Creative Leadership conducted a study of some 6,700 leaders from 38 countries to address two key issues: Successful job performance (Is empathy needed to be successful in a leader’s job?) and cross-cultural issues (Does empathy influence success more in some cultures than others?). Results reveal that empathy is positively related to job performance. Managers who show more empathy toward direct reports are viewed as better performers in their jobs by their bosses. The findings were consistent across the group: Empathetic emotion as rated from the leader’s subordi- nates positively predicts job performance ratings from the leader’s boss. The study found that the ability to understand what others are feeling is a skill that clearly contributes to effective leadership. In some cultures, the connection between empathy and performance is particularly striking, plac- ing an even greater value on empathy as a leadership skill. To improve their performance and effectiveness, leaders may need to develop the capability to demonstrate empathy. Some people naturally exude empathy and have an advantage over their peers who have difficulty expressing empathy. Most leaders fall in the middle and are sometimes or somewhat empathetic.
www.ccl.org, A White Paper: Empathy in the Workplace, December 2010
Motivating and Inspiring college students to become leaders of tomorrow
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“He creatively engages students by varying his activities and modalities, keeping his
presentations highly stimulating. Cleamon is congenial, task-oreinted, self-directed in
his work and learning, creative and open-minded, yet decisive. His written and oral
communication skills are exemplary, and he will be an excellent role model for your
students.”
Marsha Phelps, Ed.D, Vice President, Olive-Harvey College
