There are a lot of sources and well-known leaders on LinkedIn that are spreading the message for leaders to have empathy and to understand what motivates people.

It sounds so simple, but it’s often paid lip service because these behaviours sit (or don’t sit) at the very core of who we are as individuals. That is not to say that you cannot develop empathy or other soft skills, but it’s a bit like when you’ve been driving for decades – the bad habits are hard to break without some serious consideration and reinvention.

We need to start by honestly assessing ourselves and our behaviours. Often this is seeking out feedback that you may not necessarily want to hear.
However, if you are brave enough to get feedback from those in particular that you don’t usually see eye to eye with this can often be the best starting point.
Once you’ve figured out what areas you need to start working on (warning: this will be a continuous improvement initiative) you’ll need to create the environment for success which in large is dependent on your own agility but can really be accelerated by surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals to support you when things become difficult!

How do you know when you’ve successfully managed to improve as a leader? Well, the proof is always in the feedback. Constantly seek feedback, especially negative feedback, as this will be the only way in which you can address your blind spots.
If you don’t have feedback but your team or an individual in your team is not performing ask yourself what you are doing wrong as a leader. When you realise that you are working for the team that you are leading and not the other way round is when you will truly start focusing on the important facets that will truly make you a genuine leader.

Ask yourself if you know why each person comes to work or is part of your team. Do you know what motivates each team member and what are you doing to ensure that they have an environment without fear of failure? Go seek out these important pieces of information from each individual, because this more than any technical theory and experience will be more important to the success of the team.
As mentioned at the start of this blog post, there are plenty of sources online and hopefully, this will inspire you to go seek a better version of yourself. Remember, you don’t need a title to be a leader…