b'Business Management CSIA 19withapersonalcrisis.Byofferingsupportand flexibility, the leader helps the employee navigate their challenge and fosters long-term loyalty and commitment.Action Step: Practice active listening during team check-ins. Ask open-ended questions and validate emotions to show genuine care.Improves Communication and CollaborationEffective communication is essential for teamwork, and empathy enhances this process by encouraging opennessandreducingmisunderstandings. ResearchfromCatalystfoundthat61%of employees with highly empathetic leaders report beingmoreinnovativeatwork(Catalyst,2021). Leaderswholistenactivelyandacknowledge differentperspectivescreateaculturewhere employees feel safe to share ideas and concerns.Techniquessuchasparaphrasingemployees statements,askingclarifyingquestions, andprovidingthoughtfulresponsescan transform conversations. When leaders approach communication with empathy, they reduce the risk of conflict and build stronger connections.Action Step: Host regular team meetings focused on idea-sharing and problem-solving. Model activeExample: Googles 20% time policy encourages listening behaviors and encourage feedback. employees to spend part of their workweek exploringCENTRAL STATES INSULATION ASSOCIATIONnew ideas. This approach has led to major products Fuels Creativity and Innovation like Gmail and Google Maps.Empathy fosters an environment of psychological safety where employees feel comfortable expressingActionStep:Encouragebrainstormingsessions new ideas without fear of judgment. This sense ofwhereallideasarewelcomed.Recognizeand safety is critical for driving creativity and innovation.celebrate creativity, even if ideas arent implemented In fact, aGoogle study on team effectivenessimmediately.revealedthatpsychologicalsafetywasthe numberonefactorforhigh-performingteamsIntegrating Empathy into Leadership(Googles Project Aristotle).1. Active ListeningWhen leaders show empathy, they empower theirActive listening requires leaders to be fully present teams to take risks, experiment, and think outsideinconversations,resistingtheurgetointerrupt thebox.Acultureofinnovationthriveswhenorformulateresponsesbeforethespeaker employeesknowtheircontributionsarevaluedhasfinished.Itinvolveshearingthewordsand and their failures are viewed as opportunities forinterpretingtheemotionsandintentionsbehind learning. them.Bysummarizingkeypointsandasking continued on pg.20csiaonline.org'