Building Resilience Through Empathy

As a social worker, I’m acutely aware of how chronic stress impacts thinking and behaviour.  My social work background has helped me better understand how stress can get in the way of productivity and prevent employees from contributing to their workplaces in the ways they would like to.  When leaders demonstrate empathy, they build resilient employees and organizations.  This doesn’t mean leaders should step outside of their roles to counsel their employees about personal concerns.  It does mean paying attention to the needs of individual employees and responding by offering support in appropriate ways.  Examples include reminding employees of services that are available to help them (such as a company-sponsored Employee and Family Assistance Plan), being flexible in applying workplace policies to support work-life balance and finding creative ways to manage work demands that consider both accountability as well as employee wellness.

Empathetic leaders also practice and model emotional regulation, even when upset, angry, or overwhelmed.  This can be challenging to do, especially when the limbic system is in overdrive.  Having reliable and accessible strategies, such as deep breathing and grounding techniques, can help soften the initial physical response to an upsetting event.  Being consistent and predictable can help build trust and establish a sense of emotional safety, which is far more productive for solving problems and overcoming unexpected challenges.

Clearly communicating expectations is a critical part of empathic leadership.  Brene Brown coined the phrase, “Clear is kind; unclear is unkind” and she argues that avoiding uncomfortable conversations and not providing direct feedback and then holding people accountable for not meeting expectations is simply unkind. We live in a culture where politeness is valued, and sometimes this can hold us back from giving honest and constructive feedback if we feel it might upset others.  Also, some people tend to avoid the discomfort of what they perceive to be potential conflict.  This reluctance to address problems authentically and transparently can have unintended consequences, including ‘backchannel’ communication and disengagement. 

At an organizational level, fostering a sense of community where people share responsibility for outcomes also enhances empathy and resilience within organizations.  Resilience can be thought of as adjusting to stressful situations in healthy ways.  Research suggests that it’s not extraordinary, rather, all humans have the capacity to be resilient.  Resilience isn’t ‘static’, meaning that a person’s resilience can fluctuate depending on the environment.  For example, a team can foster a very supportive environment for years but then illness, transitions, and a new team member with a negative personality can disrupt the team’s equilibrium.  Protective factors that contribute to resilience include having a sense of optimism, goal-directed problem solving, and engaging in self-care.  Have a sense of ‘we-ness’ and solidarity helps people overcome challenges because they know they’re not alone and can rely on the collective strength of others, even when they’re not at their best.

There’s much the leaders can do to foster resilience during times of organizational change and demonstrating empathy is perhaps the most impactful.  Leaders who show they care bring out the best in their employees’ and motivate them to contribute to shared goals.  Checking in with employees regularly, clearly communicating expectations, addressing problems as they arise in a timely and compassionate manner, and promoting a team approach to overcoming some of the challenges that are inherent with organizational change will all help to move your organization forward in a positive way during uncertain times.