In every interaction, the empathetic leadership approach is: Connect-Think-Act. You discover your values/needs in the Connect phase; plan strategies based on your needs in the Think phase; and implement your strategies in the Act phase.
Attributes of authentic leadership are: Connecting with others and seeing what’s going on for them and being (as well as being perceived as) someone who cares about the human side of the equation. People want and expect it. Leaders can help bring out and meet the needs of others, which in turn, increases productivity and leads to collaboration and a sense of being connected to others and to a shared purpose.
Trust, respect, and collaboration are needs involved in interactions between leaders and teams. Empathetic connections enhance and encourage trust, respect and collaboration. Team leaders who can discern the feelings and needs (values) beneath what is said can create mutual respect and trust with their team members. Failure to do so is much more likely to foster misunderstandings.
Leaders facilitate the creation of a system that also leads to more empathic connection with the customer—a way to systematically track and understand the customer’s needs. Ideally, this information is shared with the entire organization, which can lead to system change and competitive advantage.
A needs-based approach to leadership can effectively drive strategy, team productivity, marketing, product and program development, and sales since it facilitates collaboration, innovation, and managing changes in the market and workplace. The approach is based on the Nonviolent Communication Process developed by Marie Miyashiro‘s teacher developed by Marie’s teacher Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D.