Competence, intelligence, professionalism, hard work. These are all important character traits in business, whether you’re an employer or an employee. The same goes for results. Especially if you’re a business owner, you think about the bottom line every single day, brainstorming new and better ways to serve clients and customers. Business development is a top priority not just some of the time but all of the time. Employee recruitment and retention are also points of emphasis since employers compete for the best talent—success or failure comes down to it. But do you know what else matters in business? Do you know what isn’t taught much at business school or your first day on the job? Empathy.
Lost in the shuffle of metrics like ROI or common business jargon (see: “adding value”) is that the modern workplace still involves human beings. There is a human element to doing business—human beings are the ones who succeed and fail. From joining a company to starting your own, you want to work with people you know, like and trust, and the same logic applies to customers and clients who expect you to deliver. Those doing business with you want to know, like and trust you first, so they’re comfortable paying the check.
We often discuss leadership as a byproduct of subject matter expertise or unique understanding of a specific industry. While it is important to know your field inside and out, there is much more to being a leader. The most successful leaders—and, indeed, the most successful companies—can take a step back and factor in the human motivations that apply to all of us.
Putting yourself in another person’s shoes can make you a better boss, a stronger salesperson or a more compelling marketer. It can make public relations or advertising campaigns really hit the mark, whereas a lack of empathy can make them fall on deaf ears.
Workers certainly agree. Nearly 90% of U.S. employees of the more than 1,000 surveyed in an EY report believe empathetic leadership boosts morale while fostering an inclusive environment. Research also shows that 82% of employees would consider leaving their jobs for a position at a company that was more empathetic.
Is that surprising? It shouldn’t be: We can all do a better job of listening to others, learning from them and stepping outside of ourselves—even for just a few minutes a day. You never really know what your boss is going through or why your employee is acting out. Perhaps there is more beneath the surface. Maybe their home life is toxic, or perhaps they’re struggling with anxiety or depression. Before jumping to conclusions, it is important to remember your own personal trials and tribulations. Are you always motivated to work? Are you always happy and joyful, or are some days worse than others?
For many people, most days are struggles, and we can’t just assume that our own happiness and joy are foregone conclusions. Count your blessings if you are blessed!
In business, it is also common for people to put up facades, portraying themselves in a certain way that may not be representative of their day-to-day lives. Just scroll through your LinkedIn feed, and you’ll find plenty of people who show one thing but think or act another.
Behind facades of success, wealth and beauty lie a world of untold stories. Those stories may be positive or negative, such as people fighting their inner demons or struggling with external events. Even CEOs and other business executives may have deep, dark struggles. Whether you’re rich or poor, motivated or lazy, skinny or overweight, we are all human, and human beings have problems.
This is especially important to remember in a presidential election year, with political tensions running high. Let’s keep an open mind, rather than judging those around us because of their beliefs. When political polarization is at its highest, we all need to do better in our own lives, practicing empathy to give others the benefit of the doubt.
When I was younger, I wasn’t always empathetic. I was often abrasive in my quest to get ahead in business. Someone once called me a “human bulldozer” when I was in my 20s because I just wanted to work through my daily to-do list and rarely stopped to think about how I made other people feel. I learned that over time, but it took time to get people to know, like and trust me as a businesswoman.
To quote Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” There is no better definition of empathy. It’s up to us to live it in 2024 and every other year.
This article originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice in July 2024.
