How Leaders Can Demand Results While Also Supporting and Empathizing With Employees

Being a leader during a crisis is hard, especially when the crisis is a worldwide pandemic. It’s difficult to balance supporting your employees and empathizing with the different struggles they’re going through, while also making sure the team stays on track and delivers results. Here are six tips for leading with empathy during a crisis, while still managing to demand results from your employees: 1. Lean into empathy first. Start every leadership communication, big or small, by empathizing with each team member and asking human-to-human how they're doing. During this COVID-19 crisis, communicate that we’re all in this together and that your thoughts are with your employees and their loved ones who are suffering or anxious. Next comes pragmatism, and setting the tone that important work must go on. Discuss work progress, plans and priorities. Always wrap up discussions and meetings with a message of optimism — e.g., "We are resourceful and we will get through