The Art of Caring Leadership: How Leading with Heart Uplifts Teams and Organizations by Heather R. Younger

Author:Heather R. Younger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Connect the Dots

When I refer to connecting the dots, I really mean that leaders need to communicate what they hear during moments of feedback and what they intend to do about what they heard. So, every time leaders take an action directly related to employee feedback, they need to let the employees know that their actions are directly connected to that feedback. If they do not do this, they lose an opportunity to show employees how much they care, how powerful their voices are, and that organizational success is a team effort. This might seem simple for some, but I am stunned by how little organizational leaders communicate back to those who provide any type of feedback. This lack of bidirectional communication is why many employees opt out of surveys and feedback sessions.

Phil Burgess, chief people and operations officer at CSpace, connects the dots in a thoughtful way that leaves those he leads feeling validated. Here is how Phil describes his process of listening:

I do really try to listen to people, and then think about what is the action we need to drive as a result. And I’m learning that the more you communicate and connect the dots back to people, and help them understand that as a result of the conversation I had with them, I’ve been able to have a conversation with my boss and trigger an initiative around well-being or make some progress on diversity and inclusion, then I think connecting those dots starts to help people feel that you’re making progress. I think the more you do it, the more they then also forgive you when you get stuff wrong.

What touched me most about my exchange with Phil was that he is eager to get better, by including others, being thoughtful about the big picture, and showing the right balance of care for those he leads. Connecting the dots, or consistently and strategically communicating as described above, is one of the most important things leaders can do to ensure that a culture of listening stays intact. Creating this type of culture elevates the experience from the caring leader to the caring organization.

The Art of Caring Leadership in Practice

From the time we are babies, we love to hear our own voices, and we love to see those whom we look to for guidance, safety, and love respond to our words. You have the power to make those you lead feel heard. Commit to actively listening to them more often. Confirm your understanding by repeating back what you hear. You might be surprised by what you uncover.

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