The Harvard Business Review talks about empathy as one of the characteristics of a great leader. Research suggests that the ability to connect quickly and emotionally with other people is one of the hallmarks of strong leadership. Let’s face it, we would all like to work for an organization and a manager that values our contribution to a company and one that is willing to help us when tragedy might strike. 

Empathy is a unique talent that leaders possess in abundance and allows them to treat people with care and compassion. This is one of the issues often mentioned by employees who leave a company after consequential life event when the company or leader shows a void in compassion. 

Great leaders care about people, customers, friends, family and they make others feel like they are important to whatever enterprise they are managing. Never be afraid to show compassion and concern in any circumstance. I have watched over the years as CEO’s of companies have cried on stage while talking about the death of an employee or a natural disaster and I am sure that most of my readers can remember an empathic person becoming emotional at a public event. It is very powerful and it creates a bond in a company that compels employees to want to work hard and succeed.