Centering empathy as a motivating force in your leadership is not a sign of weakness.
There are leaders in every field who think that expressing empathy will undermine their path to success. Athletic coaches come to mind, but so do political leaders, school leaders, and yes, musical leaders.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. While leading with empathy can slow the initial growth of a team, in the long run the team will outpace teams led through control. That’s because people led with empathy will grow faster, become more confident, and feel safer to take the chances that lead to growth.
It can feel risky to transition into empathy-centered leadership, but well executed, it will inevitably lead to stronger teams, and teams that will look back more positively on their experiences, regardless of outcome. They will say “We were happy when we were here.” And they will be proud of the successes they achieved.
My Superintendent reminded me this morning that leaders can be empathetic – even visibly emotional – in their interactions with the people they lead. He teared up at least three times in his opening day speech today, even as he urged us to tell our story, be brave, and support each other.
I was also reminded of this by the brilliant John Wooden, whose Pyramid of Success is a source of inspiration for me as a leader. He led his teams with respect, empathy, and calm assurance. With that in mind, I’m beginning a second exploration of his Pyramid of Success. In my first series, I explored the blocks of the pyramid from the leader’s perspective. This time, I’ll be approaching them from the perspective of the individual choir member – how they can develop, demonstrate, and use each block.
I love the story of John Wooden beginning his season each year with his college team by teaching them how to put on their shoes and socks. The lesson was not just about reducing blisters – the lesson was that if we do the small things right, the big things will go right, too. And he taught the lesson intentionally, right from the start, with empathy.