Leading with empathy: how motherhood enhances leadership skills

New Delhi: When a child is born, everyone is busy celebrating the baby, but we often overlook that a mother is born too. Motherhood changes a woman in aspects that are unimaginable. It changes not only her physical appearance but also her personality. It changes everything! 

But when a mother is born, she also adds to her personality, strengths she didn't know existed in her, and a big one we often don’t give her enough credit for is her ability to lead.

To lead a family, to lead a home, to lead a team/company. When she does become a mother, an important part she learns on the job very quickly is dealing with her baby with empathy, which now comes in-built. 

So how does this impact her leadership skills?

In an era of rapid change, it's crucial to foster a workplace culture that instils pride and satisfaction in your employees. It is well known that the success of your organisation is directly tied to the contentment and well-being of the people who work there. And that is where mothers who naturally evolve into leaders, bring that extra edge. They excel not only in leading teams but, more importantly, in leading with empathy.

Leading with empathy means all decisions, conversations and interactions you make with your employees involve understanding and valuing their feelings, perspectives and emotions. It means actively listening, showing genuine concern and responding thoughtfully to their needs. Empathetic leaders create a supportive and inclusive environment which fosters trust, collaboration and a sense of belonging.

Empathic leadership is a potent strategy that can change organisations, and motherhood specifically strengthens these leadership abilities. By attending to and comprehending the needs of their children, mothers cultivate a profound sense of empathy that culminates in a kind and encouraging leadership style. Their capacity to actively listen, handle conflict sensitively, and forge solid, dependable bonds within teams is enhanced by this experience. 

In an agency environment, these skills add a lot of value. The Digital Marketing industry has multiple things going on at one time. To multitask and manage time around everything is a skill which is honed through parenting, and this also helps in effectively handling challenging situations. Team leaders who lead with empathy contribute a human-centred, balanced viewpoint to leadership, creating inclusive settings where people are inspired and feel important.

Today, we are in an era when women's leadership is becoming more and more recognized for its distinct and successful style. Research indicates that female leaders frequently possess exceptional empathy, communication, and teamwork skills, promoting inclusive and encouraging work cultures. As more women assume leadership positions, their influence advances a more just and balanced world in addition to improving organisational performance.

Essentially, women make outstanding leaders because of the soft skills they develop with time, across different roles in their life. Their human-level connection, tactful dispute resolution, efficient time management, and capacity to bounce back from setbacks give them a balanced and nurturing style of leadership. This fosters a more welcoming and compassionate work environment while also improving organisational success.

It’s important to understand that a small addition of empathy to your leadership style can go a long way. So, to all leaders, regardless of gender or parental status, fostering a sense of belonging & trust within your team is immensely beneficial.

Today, two years into my motherhood journey, I can confidently say that this experience has positively transformed my perspective at work. It has enhanced my ability to lead, collaborate effectively, and guide my team with the right attitude and direction.