An Interview With Cynthia Corsetti
Enhanced team morale and cohesion: Empathetic leadership guides team members through challenges without resorting to micromanagement, maintaining trust and morale. For instance, instead of taking over when a team member struggles, guiding them empathetically strengthens team cohesion.
Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, is increasingly recognized as a pivotal leadership trait. In an ever-evolving business landscape, leaders who exhibit genuine empathy are better equipped to connect, inspire, and drive their teams towards success. But how exactly does empathy shape leadership dynamics? How can it be harnessed to foster stronger relationships, improved decision-making, and a more inclusive work environment? As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Smith.
Brian Smith (theiinteamseries.com) is the co-author, with his daughter Mary Griffin, of three books that comprise the “I” in Team Series™ — Individual Influence: Find the “I” in Team; Positive Influence: Be the “I” in Team; and Responsible Influence: Build the “I” in Team. Smith is the founder of IA Business Advisors. He hosts a podcast, Daily Influence, which delivers reflections on positive leadership attributes. Smith has 30 years of business consulting experience and has started more than 50 successful companies. He holds a Ph.D. in organizational psychology, a master’s degree in information management systems, and a bachelor’s in accounting.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about empathy, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I had a challenging start, with a choice between jail or the military; I chose the military. Embracing the educational opportunities there, I started my career in public accounting, which I soon realized wasn’t my passion.
In the early 1990s, I began installing PC-based accounting systems for small businesses, integrating technology into my work. This journey led me to found Individual Advantages (IA Business Advisors) in 1996, focusing on the impact of technology on workplace dynamics, which became the subject of my dissertation, “Technology Induced Attention Deficit Disorder.” Our consulting practice evolved over the years to emphasize culture and individual development, leading to the international success we enjoy today, with three best-selling books and a client base of over 1600 worldwide.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
One notable experience was helping a business owner in Southern California who was struggling after following advice to work “on” his business rather than “in” it. His diesel truck maintenance facility saw revenues decline and team morale plummet. We spent time understanding the root causes, which led to re-engaging him with his team and customers on the shop floor. By placing him back in a role that brought him joy and leveraging his strengths, we turned the business around, achieving consistent growth and restoring team morale. This experience highlighted how empathetic leadership — understanding and valuing the owner’s true passion — can transform a struggling business.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Our effectiveness stems from our deep focus on the people within organizations and our ability to listen and respond to their needs. For example, we successfully mediated a family business conflict that had been unresolved for 18 months. By applying S.M.A.R.T. principles (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic/Relevant, Timely), we crafted a succession plan that satisfied all family members within just three months, demonstrating our unique approach to empathetic and pragmatic problem-solving.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
The three traits that have been instrumental to my success are commitment, introspection, and active listening. Commitment means working alongside my team to achieve our goals, as demonstrated when I personally delivered an essential report to a client at the airport. Introspection involves continually improving myself, learning from feedback, and being open to change. Finally, active listening — slowing down and listening to learn — ensures I stay connected with my team and clients, which once saved a critical deal by understanding and addressing underlying issues rather than just reacting to surface problems.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.
Great question. One of the most difficult is when making human decisions, or what I mean is choosing the right person for a position or task. Often the most obvious on paper or with current perception is not really the best choice.
This was an issue I faced when I terminated a 15-year employee who ran the warehouse and manufacturing operations of one of our largest clients. We began looking for someone with extensive warehouse and light manufacturing experience and had a lot of applicants who were very qualified for the position.
At the same time, we had a past employee who had been our GM of a hotel we had equity in, reach out about a position within our organization. This team member had almost no warehouse or manufacturing experience but had great human relations and team-building experience. We ultimately offered him the position instead of the most obvious technically qualified, and it has paid off.
When choosing team members it’s often good to remember that the most obvious is not always the best; one must slow down and think about the total area of influence that the decision will have and how some of the most obscure influences may become the most important in the end.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. How do you define empathy in a leadership context, and why do you believe it’s a vital trait for leaders to possess in today’s work environment?
Empathy in leadership means more than understanding your team’s emotions; it’s about actively supporting them through challenges while maintaining organizational direction. This involves setting up robust policies, cross-training team members, and ensuring transparent communication, so empathy is consistently demonstrated through actions, not just words.
Can you share a personal experience where showing empathy as a leader significantly impacted a situation or relationship in your organization?
We had a husband and wife team facing significant personal challenges. Their peers, understanding the gravity of the situation, stepped up to support their responsibilities. This collective empathy, combined with transparent communication and planning, helped us maintain operational integrity and support the family through a difficult period, showcasing the power of empathetic leadership in fostering a resilient and supportive work environment.
How do empathetic leaders strike a balance between understanding their team’s feelings and making tough decisions that might not be universally popular?
Empathetic leaders balance understanding their team’s feelings with making tough decisions by setting clear expectations and maintaining transparency. Establishing boundaries supported by well-communicated policies ensures that tough decisions, while not always popular, are understood and accepted within the context of the organization’s needs.
How would you differentiate between empathy and sympathy in leadership? Why is it important for leaders to distinguish between the two?
Empathy involves taking actionable steps to support your team both emotionally and practically. In contrast, sympathy is often expressed through words or minor actions without substantial impact. Leaders need to distinguish between the two to provide meaningful support and foster a truly supportive work environment.
What are some practical strategies or exercises that leaders can employ to cultivate and enhance their empathetic skills?
To cultivate empathy, leaders should establish clear policies and procedures that emphasize active listening. Being aware of non-verbal cues and consistently applying empathetic actions ensures that empathy is perceived as genuine. Training for empathy involves ongoing communication and feedback, allowing leaders to continuously improve their empathetic skills.
How can empathy help leaders navigate the complexities of leading diverse teams and ensure inclusivity?
Leading diverse teams with empathy means recognizing and addressing each individual’s unique challenges. By actively listening and understanding the distinct needs and perspectives of team members, leaders can foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways Empathy Will Affect Your Leadership”?
- Enhanced team morale and cohesion: Empathetic leadership guides team members through challenges without resorting to micromanagement, maintaining trust and morale. For instance, instead of taking over when a team member struggles, guiding them empathetically strengthens team cohesion.
- Improved communication: Empathy enables leaders to address underlying issues effectively. When dealing with delegation problems, understanding the leader’s struggles allowed for more thoughtful communication, ultimately resolving the issue.
- Increased motivation and engagement: Empathetic actions, beyond words, inspire team members to support each other. We observed that empathetic leadership motivated our team to engage more transparently and supportively with their peers.
- Better decision-making: Knowing they have a supportive environment, team members make better decisions. We’ve seen individuals push through challenges independently, confident in their support system, leading to improved decision-making processes.
- Enhanced innovation and creativity: Empathy fosters a collaborative environment where team members feel safe to express ideas. Our brainstorming sessions improved significantly as team members became more attuned to each other’s insights and challenges, enhancing innovation and creativity.
Are there potential pitfalls or challenges associated with being an empathetic leader? How can these be addressed?
Being overly empathetic can sometimes hinder organizational effectiveness. Leaders should set clear boundaries and policies to ensure that empathetic actions do not negatively impact long-term goals. Balancing empathy with practical decision-making is key.
Off-topic, but I’m curious. As someone steering the ship, what thoughts or concerns often keep you awake at night? How do those thoughts influence your daily decision-making process?
Are we planning effectively for the future of our clients and our teams? We provide C-Suite level advice to our clients, which is a heavy lift. We work in areas of finance, operations, human relations, marketing and technology, and balancing these across the myriad of clients and industries is an individual and organizational challenge. I am driven to be the most positive and responsible leader I can so that our influence is also positive and responsible, and I drive our team to stay up to date on their specific areas of influence, balancing that with an understanding of themselves both professionally and personally.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Oh, this one is easy. With the understanding that ALL people matter, my movement would be that every human would embark on the goal to commit at least three random or intentional acts of kindness each day. When you think about this globally and simply, that would amount to over 24 billion acts of kindness a day. How might that change the world? We are so committed to this movement and effort, that my wife René and I have started a new foundation, Three Acts of Kindness, to bring this movement to the world in 4Q2024.
How can our readers further follow you online?
LinkedIn: TheIinTeamSeries and YourBizDr
Facebook: TheIinTeamSeries
Instagram: TheIinTeamSeries
X(Twitter): YourBizDr
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Cynthia Corsetti is an esteemed executive coach with over two decades in corporate leadership and 11 years in executive coaching. Author of the upcoming book, “Dark Drivers,” she guides high-performing professionals and Fortune 500 firms to recognize and manage underlying influences affecting their leadership. Beyond individual coaching, Cynthia offers a 6-month executive transition program and partners with organizations to nurture the next wave of leadership excellence.
Brian Smith of IA Business Advisors: 5 Ways Empathy Will Affect Your Leadership was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.