Take Good Care of Your Team and They’ll Take Good Care of You

Empathy is essential to leadership. Those you lead need to know you care about them.

Two contrasting examples.

A natural disaster hits. Employees lose their homes. Every aspect of normal life is disrupted in a sudden, stressful, and substantial way. The CEO does not even bother to ask about how employees are doing or offer assistance or support. The low level of loyalty is now gone. This organization has serious problems on all major metrics. This CEO was “retired” within two years.

A pandemic occurs. Schools and day care close. Parents must still work without child care. The CEO opens a first ever child care program in partnership with a local church. Your children will be safe, learning, having fun, and you can see them. Employees are thankful. This CEO likes to say, “Take good care of your team and they will take good care of you.” This organization continually excels achieving national and statewide recognition. The CEO is very popular.

Loyalty deepens when you are there for members of your team during life’s difficult moments.    Your team must know you truly care for them, hurt when they hurt, and want nothing more than to see their success.  Their problems must be your problems and their achievements must bring you much joy.

If your team can’t connect with you, they can’t trust or perform for you. They’ll follow you anywhere at anytime if they know you care.

#LeadershipLessonWithDrSaviak

From the Teacher: Leadership Lessons with Dr. Saviak is a weekly column with the esteemed Joseph C. Saviak, Ph.D., J.D., M.A., M.S., Management Consulting & Leadership Training

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