Member-only story
How Ethics and EQ Impact Employee Productivity and Retention
At what point is moving the needle and progressing as a team more important than the people who are doing the work? This is something many executives and leaders, especially in high-stress industries, have to ask themselves. There is a fine balance between getting things done, getting them done well and burning everyone out in the process.
So how do executives and leaders find that balance? There are a few ways that executives can manage this tenuous reality, and it starts with empathy for employees and peers.
Empathy for your employees
Were you always an executive? Of course not. Odds are, you started somewhere lower in the hierarchy of your current company or another one. Remember the work you put in, what you had to deal with at each level along the way and how hard you worked. Are your employees and teammates experiencing the same things you did?
Empathy and understanding for coworkers and employees goes a long way in reducing burnout, as leadership will more likely recognize unrealistic expectations and pull back on nonessential initiatives.
