BUSINESS

from Wylie CONNECTION Magazine - March/April 21

EDUCATION

Elevate Your Empathy & Accelerate Your Leadership

by Elizabeth McCormick

As the pandemic drags on (and on), it continues to impact businesses, those working from home, and families with kids engaged in virtual schooling. Add in social media scrutiny, the blame-and-attack atmosphere, conflict and isolation … and it’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed and exhausted. The stressors of the tumultuous pace of work and family pandemic style may have left some of us feeling empty and unable to cope with life’s demands.

So how can you best lead yourself, your business/ job, family, and community during this time when your own resources might feel depleted? Empathy is vital to leading well, and it starts within yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup; extreme self-care is not optional. Self-care is not simply about tending to your physical needs; we must make sure not to neglect our emotional, educational, and spiritual aspects as well. Emotional: Monitor your self-talk. Is that inner voice you hear positive or does it edge toward negative? Utilize positive affirmations to remind yourself who you are and how you want to show up in life. When your emotional well-being is in balance, you’re better able to respond when tensions are high. Educational: Learning has never been so easily accessible – much of it for free. Check out a book you’ve been wanting to read from the library, listen to a podcast, watch training videos. When you up-level your personal and business skills consistently, you can make better decisions. Spiritual: Having faith is a choice, not only a church. It can happen in the faith you build in yourself and your abilities. You can feel this by creating space for more quiet times in your life, connecting with nature, meditating (there are some great apps for this.) Cultivate the calm when you feel chaos closing in. Physical: When you think of self-care, the physical aspects probably come to mind first. This is important, and it doesn’t happen by accident. Start by scheduling non-negotiable time for yourself on the calendar. Go for a walk or work out, take a power nap or a hot shower. Changing your physical environment, even temporarily, can shift your energy.

By investing time in ourselves, we are better placed to interact with and support others. Self-care allows us to maintain our own health and therefore put us in a good place to be able to engage with others as a stronger leader.

3 Quick Tips to Elevate Your Empathy With Others:

1. Reach out, again. Be proactive in reaching out to your employees, your customers, and friends, old and new. Create new opportunities for connection. Plan a virtual happy hour, stream a movie together, get involved in your community. 2. Ask, “How are you … really?” Deepen your conversations by taking more time and actively listening. 3. Create new connections. Coordinate a virtual happy hour, stream a movie watch party, volunteer and get involved in your community.

The most successful leaders demonstrate sensitivity and an understanding of others’ anxiety and frustration by showing concern for their well-being. You can elevate your empathy in small ways every day. w

Elizabeth McCormick is a former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot and motivational speaker specializing in leadership. Go to SoarYourLife.com for a free online course to “Master Your Motivation.”

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