Some days it may seem challenging to wrap your arms around all the things you need to do for your organization. There are volunteers to wrangle, administrative staff to lead, board obligations to manage, community outreach to conduct, and books to keep in order.
One skill that can enhance these efforts and the contacts they provide with others is empathy. This basic ability to understand and share the feelings of others can solidify the invisible feelings in the air and unite people associated with your cause--from the janitor to the chairman of the board.
Empathy is a powerful tool for
strengthening production and
development of your organization.
Listen and respond with understanding
Empathy includes listening and responding with an expression of understanding. Using empathy can help you mentor volunteers, engage individuals and groups, work with your board to make strong decisions, and boost performance.
How do you relate to others?
Some leaders think they do not have time to be empathetic--too busy doing the daily tasks. However, when you consider that you accomplish most of your daily routine by working through your team, you need to reconsider the importance of empathy and how you relate to others. Showing this emotion adds power to your leadership and drives staff to engage in projects and activities. A powerful empathetic conversation with board members is a significant attribute of being a successful manager.
Truly listen to others and avoid judgment
When you show empathy, you need to truly listen to others and avoid judgment. Building “human” relationships with staff and board members produces loyalty, enhances commitment, and intensifies production. You will find people are not just going through the motions or being indifferent about their role. They are engaged in your organization’s activities.
Develop a sense of unity
Getting to know your board members, staff, and donors individually helps everyone develop a feeling of unity. By developing some understanding of what is going on in someone else’s life gives you an insight into what motivates them. Every person involved with your cause has a personal motivator, and tapping into that motivator is key to igniting their passion and performance.
Connect with your staff through empathy
Connect with your staff through empathy. Develop an understanding of what makes them tick. This inside knowledge is a major component of accomplishing work through others.
When your organization comes across perplexing information and you have questions--we are here with the answers. Keep in touch with our blog. We have ideas to share and solutions to management and organizational questions. If you have questions about any other not-for-profit industry topics, contact our not-for-profit team leader at trent@tbfosteraccounting.com
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