Episode: 402

Episode Title: The Empathetic, Present Leader

There are two traits that every effective leader must have—but they can be tough to cultivate in a virtual world. Here’s what they are, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 402 show:

You’re now in The Perna Syndicate—welcome! As the workforce continues to change, the need for strong leadership has never been more pressing. And now, leaders must learn to connect meaningfully with employees whom they may never meet, except through a screen. 

Strong leadership is vital, and there are two skills that every leader needs to cultivate. Unfortunately, they can also be the hardest to practice in a virtual environment. The first is empathy; the second, being fully present. 

According to a recent survey, 89% of respondents said that empathy leads to better leadership. They also said it creates more loyalty among employees. Being empathetic means seeing past the person on the screen to the background of their life—and caring about what you see. 

What motivates them? What makes work rewarding for them—and what makes it hard? What kind of home and family challenges are they dealing with? What’s going on in their life? Leaders who can answer these questions about their team are likely highly empathetic. 

Being fully present is also hard in a digital work environment. How many of us multitask during meetings? Come on, be honest. How many side conversations do we have going on at one time? Are we really giving the other person our full attention and presence?

Even if you’re not in a formal leadership position, cultivating empathy and presence at work can make a big difference in today’s hybrid workplace. 

Tomorrow: the rapidly evolving world of work may be intimidating, but it also presents young workers with great opportunities. We’ll talk about them on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate. See you then!