My client manages a team and finds it hard to be very interested in the personal lives of some of his direct reports. “I do not need to know what they do on the weekends. But my boss tells me that I must show more empathy.”

We analyzed what is in his way of showing empathy. We work on assignments to not only listen but also ask questions to learn more about the Whys and When.

Different people like to communicate in different ways, Some like very direct communication while others want as much background as possible. Your role as a manager is to communicate with them in a way that is most effective for them, for which you must know them as a person. So ask some questions about their weekend activities to learn more about their ambitions and drives.

From a management perspective, how can you empathize with them if you don’t know a little about their personal life? Knowing something about the personal circumstances will likely give you an insight into the fluctuations in their work, there are a lot of things you may otherwise not be aware of! 

However, most of us today work in multigenerational and multicultural organizations where employees show up with different backgrounds, issues, and experiences. You can’t possibly expect to relate to every circumstance that is brought to you personally.

“How can I be of help to you”? This is the best question to ask people when they share their worries or sorrows.  Listen very carefully to their answer and do not fill in what you think they might need.