As a leader, your role is not only to manage your team, but to be supportive, communicative, and engaged. It is evident that with a comprehensive approach to leadership, your team will be happier – which leads to a stronger team with higher contribution and production.
In this blog, you will find different resources to help you develop your leadership skills in two areas: Empathy and Communication.
Empathy
Empathy is one of the vital leadership competencies. Being an empathetic leader means that you can understand the needs of others, while also being aware of their feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Practicing empathy in the workplace has been viewed as a major factor in high-achieving teams, developing innovation, engagement, retention, and inclusivity.
These resources can help you become more empathetic and an authentic leader:
1.No Straight Path
Format: Podcast
Details: This new HubSpot podcast hosted by Ashley Menzies Babatunde shares the human stories behind the glossy appearance of business leadership. This podcast talks about how setbacks and unanticipated gifts can lead a path toward leadership and achievement.
2. TED Radio Hour
Format: Podcast
Details: Are you a fan of TED Talk but struggling to find that one valuable presentation? Then this format might be for you. This format tackles intriguing topics like making amends, gratitude, balancing work, and life.
Communication
We often see “strong verbal and written communication skills” as part of a job qualification. This leadership skill can be developed with the help of good tools. In a recent Grammarly and Harris poll research, it reports that lack of effective communication may be getting in the way of productivity, collaboration, and efficiency in the workplace.
“Among respondents, nearly three in four business leaders (72%) say their team struggled with communicating effectively over the last year, and most business leaders (82%) and employees (59%) are concerned about effective communication with remote or hybrid working models in the future. Leaders estimate teams lose the equivalent of nearly an entire workday (7.47 hours) each week to poor communication—or approximately $12,506 per employee every year.”
Here are some of the tools to help you improve:
3. Bunch
Format: Mobile App
Details: Always on the go? This coaching app makes it easy for you to add leadership learning to your busy schedule. It offers quick daily leadership tips, leadership style quizzes and targeted suggestions for deeper learning.
4. Toastmasters
Format: Online learning and club membership
Details: If you’re into public speaking and communication while improving your leadership skills, then you’ll love Toastmasters. Being a leader in public speaking since 1920s and with 15,000+ clubs, this community offers support to all members either online or in-person during club meetings.