Improving performance through empathy

Author

Ann Boger
March 28, 2024

I’m writing this from my favorite neighborhood coffeeshop, where I’m crammed into a rare spare seat, surrounded by other remote workers. Some of us are here for the coffee, the free wifi, or to escape tiny NYC apartments. Me? I’m here for the energy. Just like a sleeping baby creates a contagious quiet, a bustling cafe fills me with a sense of purpose and connection.

As a human being, a mom, a ‘spoonie’ (look it up), and an entrepreneur, flexible remote work has been a liberating game changer. I don’t know where I’d be without the flexibility the last few years has afforded me.

Yet a pandemic of loneliness is gripping the US, made worse (some say) by the very same switch to remote and long-distance working relationships. Last week at a conference, a friend bemoaned a growing disconnect between her US and international teams, who lack a sense of shared identity and connection with one another. It’s getting harder and harder to get on the same page and solve problems together.

How, then, to have the best of both worlds?

Let’s start with remembering what was good about the original tech bubble’s focus on culture. (Not the boys’ club, free beer, ping pong or company chefs, but the insight that the people we work with are social creatures who crave a sense of connection and purpose.)

With all the focus today on AI, LLM and ML, let’s not forget that - at the end of the day and all day long - our team and our customers are human.

Practice Empathy as a Team

Lifting up both individuals and teams and recognizing emotions builds stronger communities, more trust, and helps people feel cared for. These tactics can be used in both in-person and virtual environments, on a regular basis or as needed, in whichever order works for your team.

hbr.org/2023/02/practice-empathy-as-a-team?autocomplete=true

Primal Leadership: The Hidden Driver of Great Performance

We’ve known for years that emotional intelligence improves results—often by an order of magnitude. Now, new research shows that a leader’s mood plays a key role in that dynamic—a discovery that should redefine what leaders do first and best.

hbr.org/2001/12/primal-leadership-the-hidden-driver-of-great-performance

4 Ways To Combat The Social Isolation Of Remote Working

Four simple ways to encourage social connection and mental health for your remote team.

www.forbes.com/sites/drsamanthamadhosingh/2023/12/18/4-ways-to-combat-the-social-isolation-of-remote-working/?sh=303975533a30

We solve thorny problems in regulated industries.