Effective Leadership through Empathy to face Adversity and develop Resilience

It’s ironic that much of what we learn—technological skills, communication techniques, and customer-first mindsets— often falls short in the face of emotional challenges. As leaders, we must confront our own anxieties and encourage our teams to do the same.

Reflecting on my three-decade IT corporate journey, I realize that embracing the “Leader as a Coach” philosophy could have significantly enhanced my effectiveness as a leader. In my coaching practice, I often share my experiences with fellow leaders, including my coachees, to encourage them to adopt these insights when needed. Through these discussions, I’ve gained valuable perspectives that I now incorporate into my coaching. One crucial aspect I want to emphasize is the importance of empathy and fostering resilience in leadership.

Over the past 18 to 24 months, many large IT multinationals have faced significant downsizing, creating a climate characterized by Volatility, Uncertainty and Anxiety across the organisation. Today’s corporate landscape has become increasingly complex and nothing like what I have experienced a couple of decades ago. The reasons can be any of – Investor expectations, silent layoffs being labelled differently, over hiring post pandemic to meet the business pressures, trying to meet customer expectations due to market pressure.

Interestingly, we can argue that it is becoming increasingly incomprehensible as the same organisation(s) are hiring on one hand while on the other hand layoffs are being executed. This could be due to shifting business strategies and companies trying to constantly evolve and pivoting to adopt or enhance their technology portfolio around Cybersecurity, Generative AI, Cloud, 5G etc.

A question never answered is – if every company is upskilling their employees and running a tight ship, why does this situation arise? However, these factors contribute to the complexity and ambiguity surrounding layoffs in the IT industry and it creates uncertainty, fear and anxiety among employees. This is suggesting that traditional values, which were once supposed to be company cultural values, are slowly eroding. Hence, it is all the more relevant to discuss Empathy and Resilience now, so that the focus remains on people and their emotions.

Leaders must be empathetic first.
As a leader, I always practiced and preached, our actions speak louder than our words. Demonstrating empathy through our actions builds real trust and loyalty, reducing anxiety and helping employees focus on constructive efforts rather than panic or resist change. Empathy acts as a catalyst providing the emotional support employees need during challenging periods. When employees feel safe to voice ideas and concerns without fear of judgment, experimentation and creativity will automatically follow.

In my early managerial days, my approach involved relaying messages from senior leadership to my team, urging them to innovate and adapt during times of change. I often reassured them about the stability of our function compared to other departments. However, experience taught me that during turbulent times, it’s challenging for individuals to concentrate on their tasks, let alone be innovative.

I shifted my strategy to asking open-ended questions: What do you need to navigate this situation? How can I support you? What actions can we take if things don’t go as planned? How are you feeling at work? Recognizing that we face these challenges together is essential for fostering teamwork and resilience.

It’s ironic that much of what we learn—technological skills, communication techniques, and customer-first mindsets— often falls short in the face of emotional challenges. As leaders, we must confront our own anxieties and encourage our teams to do the same. The cultural pressures associated with job loss can be overwhelming, and as future leaders, we must cultivate courage and openness to face such adversities. Developing resilience involves taking responsibility for our careers and stepping out of our comfort zones. This journey requires self-learning, embracing new technologies, and maintaining a growth mindset to effectively navigate the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous and landscape. Now, more than ever, the demand for “Coaching Leaders” is crucial to drive impactful change.

I recall coaching a senior leader during a particularly challenging time. His organization was downsizing, and many stakeholders from his initial 360 feedback had changed. With the coaching contract nearing its end, there was pressure from his manager to conclude the engagement due to budget constraints. Understanding my client’s emotional state, I chose to extend our coaching for an additional four months without charge. This act of empathy not only relieved him but also reinforced the importance of emotional awareness in leadership. A good manager, like an effective coach, must be attuned to emotional cues and body language.

In light of these experiences, I encourage leaders to foster environments where empathy and resilience are paramount. As we prepare for uncertain times, it’s vital to support one another and share stories that can help cultivate better leaders for tomorrow. “The era calls for ‘Coaching Leaders’ like never before, as they are pivotal in fostering true transformation in trying times.”

For further insight into navigating these challenges, I recommend reading articles that touch upon the the volatality and uncertainty that seems to be a constant in today’s corporate environment.

I welcome your thoughts and stories on this topic, as we work together to shape the future of leadership.

Author: Kasturi Venkatesh, CFI Coach