Workforce conference to highlight empathy-driven leadership for high-performing teams

Leaders who bring empathy to their work help create stronger teams.

But how do you go about cultivating empathy and leading with it?

Jennifer Schmidtbauer is passionate about answering that question. With more than 25 years of experience supporting people in publicly traded companies, nonprofits and government organizations, she’s now an owner at Crestcom, a talent development organization that focuses on sustained behavior change using a process that incorporates accountability and ROI measurement.

“It’s a proven approach for helping managers grow their leadership confidence and competency, so I was excited to become a Crestcom business owner in 2023,” she said.

“After many years as a formal leader myself at different professional levels in different types of organizations, I had a strong desire to leverage that experience in helping other leaders grow their management and leadership skills. Through Crestcom, I’m now able to assist companies across South Dakota in elevating team performance for achieving business results.”

Schmidtbauer will be sharing perspectives at the seventh annual WIN in Workforce Summit, presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. The popular event will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Click here to learn more and register.

Schmidtbauer will be joined in her session by Robyn Ewalt, a consultant with Avera Health.

We caught up with Schmidtbauer to learn more about the leadership perspective she’s bringing to the WIN Summit.

The topic of your session is “Empathy-Driven Leadership for High-Performing Teams.” What does empathy-driven leadership actually look like to you?

In business, the job of leadership is to deliver results through your team – teams which are made of people! Empathy-driven leadership is full recognition of this humanity. Our workplaces are much more than simply places of transaction, exchanging wages for labor. Empathy-driven leadership recognizes and prioritizes the various motivators and needs we have as humans – to support and encourage people in achieving company goals. Empathetic leadership is characterized by the quality of relationships. When I see a leader who has high-trust, meaningful connections with colleagues, who expresses genuine concern for others and is responsive to them, I know they are leading with empathy.

Is empathy a skill that can be learned? If so, how do you suggest helping leaders train for it?

Yes! While research has shown the capacity of our cognitive intelligence is difficult to expand upon after age 25, our emotional intelligence has ongoing opportunity for growth! Empathy is a component of EI. It’s aided by self- and social awareness and choosing to manage our behaviors for optimal relationship outcomes. There are several ways to “train” for it, but it begins with recognizing our own emotions, as well as how others might be feeling. You use that knowledge to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and connect meaningfully through listening and nonjudgmental responses. It’s not easy for a lot of us at first, but with practice, it becomes more natural. Empathy asks us to focus our attention on others, resisting the demands of our own ego and impulses.

What are the benefits of empathy-driven leadership for organizations?

We’ve heard the platinum rule is “treat others the way they want to be treated,” and empathetic leadership is about adapting your leadership style to the needs of your team – how you can best support them in the ways they find most motivating. If you go back to “the job” of leadership – achieving results through teams – then the best way to inspire the outcomes you need is to have each person working from a place of personal purpose and fulfillment. When a leader is able to help someone tie their personal success to the company’s success, you have a highly accountable and engaged organization. This is what empathetic leadership can create!

What would you say to leaders who, for whatever reason, see empathy as a potential sign of weakness?

I’d first have a conversation about what empathy is as perhaps it’s being misunderstood. Empathy is not about being “soft” or “not strong,” and it doesn’t neglect the need for accountability. It’s more about acknowledging that people aren’t machines, and if you value productivity, it’s important to set people up for success. Peter Drucker once wrote that it’s much easier to engineer technology than it is to engineer people. Emotions are part of the human software, and we can’t ignore the impact they have on us all day long. If a leader isn’t comfortable with empathy but is willing to learn for their own growth and advancement of their team, there are plenty of great coaches, courses and resources out there to help. The most successful companies are investing in empathetic leadership, and if your organization wants to be competitive, it’s a skill that can’t be ignored.

Formal leadership is a tough job, and it’s a never-ending growth journey. Leaders: Have some empathy for yourself as you navigate your role, and seek out support and perspective from other leaders. WIN will be a great place to do that!

What other “soft skill”-type qualities do you see today’s talent seeking in their leaders?

Many of these qualities are extensions of empathetic leadership. People desire leaders that demonstrate active listening, act on feedback, promote unity and collaboration, acknowledge hard work and who are both personally accountable and able to hold others accountable. All of these attributes require a genuine interest in team members’ lives and challenges at work and understanding their point of view. I see these qualities being in alignment with the work-life balance expectation people have of their employers as well.

Note: Sessions at the WIN in Workforce Summit are eligible for nine SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

If you have questions, email deniseg@siouxfalls.com. Click here to learn more and register.

Here’s a look at the full agenda: