You can’t look anywhere at the moment without seeing AI this, or AI that; and we all know that, if handled correctly, AI can be an accelerator for individuals, teams and organisations.
But I’m going to continue to shout out for another form of AI – Authentic Intimacy. Ok I may have overreached to maintain the ‘AI’ acronym but in essence I am making a plug, a plea, that we don’t forget the importance of genuine connection and empathy – the human element, as it will be it that remains the key differentiator for all.
Over the last few decades information flows have shifted from being predominantly top down to being much more fluid. This has brought benefits that great ideas can now come from anywhere much more easily; however, this fluidity and associated pace of events, means that the environment within which we operate can change overnight.
During these constant periods of uncertainty, empathetic leadership is key; key to driving higher employee engagement, psychological safety and indeed innovation. I know empathy can sometimes be mistaken for meaning just being soft. I argue the opposite. Empathetic leadership means taking the difficult decisions, not avoiding them. Importantly though, it means making those decisions with due consideration to how those decisions will impact on people and then engaging with those people in a caring way. And here is where things can often go wrong. All too often leaders hate these types of conversations, and they go round the houses when trying to convey a difficult message. Don’t. Clarity is kindness; don’t make things harder by creating confusion. Say what needs to be said and actively listen authentically, not artificially.
With that in mind, take time to think:
– What big decisions have you recently made? Did you fully consider the people implications?
– Has someone had a difficult conversation with you in the past? How did they handle it well? Badly?
– What is your approach to difficult conversations with people? How could you do that in a better way?
– As you look out to the rest of 2025 and beyond, how are you going to ensure you continue to develop and convey empathetic leadership?
As leaders, we can show our people that we are role modelling the changes that all of us want to see. Let’s be better and be the change – contact [email protected] if you would like help to do so.
For more articles, encouraging you to think and be the change – visit https://jhcoaching.co.uk/category/blog/