Showing empathy as a manager

The disastrous floods have shocked us and consumed not only the homes of the unfortunate residents in Queensland but also the minds of a nation.

It appears that once again this resilient nation is brought together in response to an emergency. The massive Victorian bushfires of 2008, the floods of Northern Queensland in 2009 and more floods in Queensland in 2011 have all been examples of people coming together to help the less fortunate. The teamwork and leadership shown in each of these cases has been heart-warming and inspiring.

But it makes me wonder – why does it take such a terrible event for us to be more human, to show the empathy and leadership that we are all capable of? Perhaps it is timely to remind ourselves that there are many hardships and disasters that are experienced on more personal levels. It may be time to reconsider your assessment of an employee’s recent poor performance or lack of application to work. There is often an assumption made that the employee has simply chosen not to work as hard.

A true leader looks a little deeper.

Here are some suggestions for approaching an employee who seems to have lost his or her way, and that you suspect or know may be suffering from personal hardship or disaster:

1. Lose the formality: the employee is most likely aware that his/her performance has dropped significantly. A formal, structured interview-style conversation may increase the stress and reduce the effectiveness of any discussions.
2. Show true empathy: this cannot be faked. If you truly care for the people that work for you, then showing them that you care will encourage an honest exchange, which is an important first step in addressing any issues.
3. Make a commitment to helping: even without disclosure of personal issues from a worker, you can offer working arrangements that may assist all parties. Some time off, or modified hours for a period of time can go a long way to making an employee feel valued and give them a chance to get back up to speed.

And for managers and team members who struggle with empathy, they should develop this skill.

They could also benefit from more awareness and understanding about the impact of trauma and distress, and the various behaviours and symptoms that can result. Managers are not expected to be psychologists but becoming aware of depression and its symptoms and behaviours and what employment assistance counselling service the business offers, is the minimum that a good manager should know.

Eve Ash has produced a wide range of DVD programs for business and training, including The Power of Empathy, Dealing with Trauma and Distress and Understanding and Dealing with Depression.