“To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a specialized heart that listens.” Brigette Hyacinth
Hyacinth, in an article on Empathy, says that in this digital age, there is a big disconnect between leaders and the people who are the managers who think they are doing a great job. When you ask the people who work for them, they will tell you the exact opposite. According to Hyacinth, many employees feel unappreciated and undervalued. Employee morale is at an all time low. What seems to be missing is Empathy!
Theodore Roosevelt once stated, “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
Empathy and listening go hand in hand. Why? Because listening shows you that you care and you cannot show empathy if you do not listen. Good listening skills is fast becoming extinct in the human species due to information overload and shortened attention span. The quality of our listening determines the quality of our influence. Employees and students want to be heard and they want to be respected. Listening transmits that kind of respect and builds trust.
As a leader, educator, parent, or anyone of influence, if you want to increase employee, student or child engagement and loyalty, it’s pretty simple. Show them that you genuinely care! Sometimes it’s the little things that count most, that people remember. The thoughtful gesture, the kind word, the much needed support all don’t cost much! If you show people that you genuinely care, it can make the biggest difference in keeping them loyal, happy and engaged.
As Stephen Covey wrote, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” You have listen with your eyes, ears and your heart.
