Working Resources is a San Francisco Bay Area Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Firm Helping Innovative Companies and Law Firms Assess, Select, Coach, Engage and Retain Emotionally Intelligent Leaders; Executive Coaching; Leadership Development; Performance-Based Interviewing; Competency Modeling; Succession Management; Culture Change; Career Coaching and Leadership & Team Building Retreats

The Business Case for Empathy

I recently spoke with the vice president of human resources at a San Francisco Bay Area company regarding providing executive coaching for the company’s CEO and senior leadership. The VP of human resources asked some very insightful questions to determine whether we were a good fit. He specifically wanted to know how I worked with different personality styles, and my methods for initiating behavior change. He was very interested in my executive coaching and consulting work to help their CEO and the senior leadership create an empathic organization.

The VP of human resources and I spoke about my approach to coaching, and my belief that possessing a psychological understanding of human behavior and specifically empathy are important leadership competencies. We also spoke of the need for their organization to work with me as a management consultant to help their company create a culture where creativity and innovation thrives.

The VP of human resources is interested in partnering with me in helping their CEO and senior leaders become more emotionally intelligent and empathic. We further discussed how other company executives could benefit in their leadership development by working with a seasoned executive coach.

Connecting through Social Media

Information technology is reshaping the company/consumer relationship, often bringing benefits to both. The misuse of technology, however, can erode customer care.

Despite living in an age where technology has made always-on data connections ubiquitous, we are more disconnected from the people we impact than at any other time in history. Even with the proliferation of social-media sites, we continue to miss opportunities for genuine dialogue.

Fortunately, many companies are changing this. They know their customers crave the ability to provide immediate input on specific products and services. Consumers prefer to buy products from businesses that know and care about customers’ needs. Managers and front-line employees must listen empathically to what consumers have to say. When managed properly, social-media sites allow open communication.

A 2011 study conducted by Parasole Restaurant Holdings and newBrandAnalytics found what consumers say online increases staff ownership of the employee/customer relationship.

Indeed, technology can actually enrich relationships between customers and employees. But it requires commitment from senior managers, who must:
1. Affirm their commitment to active, empathic involvement with customers
2. Understand the ways in which current procedures and systems mediate interactions with customers
3. Promote the deployment of social networks and other technologies to help customers tell their stories
4. Encourage and enable workers and managers to hear them
Only when employees can step into their customers’ shoes can companies add authenticity to the claim, “We care for you.”

Are you working in a professional services firm or other organization where executive coaches provide leadership development to help leaders become more empathic? Does your organization provide executive coaching for leaders who need to learn how to develop more empathy to better connect with customers? Enlightened leaders tap into their emotional intelligence and social intelligence skills to connect through social media.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Do I listen empathically to what consumers have to say?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching to help leaders commit to active, empathic involvement with customers.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-I, CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help leaders build high performance organizations where empathy in business is a virtue. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

About Dr. Maynard Brusman

Dr. Maynard Brusman is a consulting psychologist, executive coach and trusted advisor to senior leadership teams. He is the president of Working Resources, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. We specialize in helping San Francisco Bay Area companies and law firms assess, select, coach, and retain emotionally intelligent leaders. Maynard is a highly sought-after speaker and workshop leader. He facilitates leadership retreats in Northern California and Costa Rica. The Society for Advancement of Consulting (SAC) awarded Dr. Maynard Brusman "Board Approved" designations in the specialties of Executive Coaching and Leadership Development.

For more information, please go to http://www.workingresources.com, write to mbrusman@workingresources.com, or call 415-546-1252.
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