Women Leaders: Empathy and Compassion

by Sandra Rapacioli, CIMA, 18 April 2011

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Human Capital Management Management

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compassion empathy leadership mentors networking women work-life balance

The women we interviewed for the study Reflections from Asia Pacific leaders: Strategies for career progression mostly agreed that women lead in different ways from men. None felt they had to be like men in order to lead. When describing their leadership styles, most of the women mentioned their empathy, compassion, and ability to connect with people.

Jasmin Harvey believes women are usually ‘more compassionate, have better listening ability and are more intuitive [to] how others are feeling; for example, through reading body language.’

A person-centred approach does not have to be at the expense of results, as Professor Dr Suzana Sulaiman explains. ‘I have to have empathy towards people, but at the same time I want them to produce the results. There needs to be a balance.’

Jennice Zhu believes that women’s empathy can be beneficial in business situations, helping them ‘break down cultural barriers, avoid frictions and provide new perspective to discussions.’ Focusing on individuals can also help women to develop staff effectively, as Rachini Rajapaksa describes.‘I try to give guidance rather than be dictatorial; this helps to increase people’s confidence.’

A participative approach to decision making was another common theme. ‘I like to have the team clued in about what’s happening — no surprises, no blame culture,’ Karen O’Duil explains. ‘Sometimes things go wrong and we just concentrate on fixing it.’ Professor Dr Suzana Sulaiman has a similar style. ‘It’s very important to have togetherness when problem solving. I get “buy in” from the team by welcoming suggestions and sharing the responsibility so that I can pass some ownership to the team, and also share successes.’

Garris Chen’s leadership style involves being open and sincere, and encouraging staff at all levels. ‘Don’t hide things; be very open with people. People will hear your sincerity and know there’s no hidden agenda behind what you say. And don’t be afraid to share; knowledge is abundant everywhere. People will come to you to hear your advice.’

Several women felt that they and other women paid more attention to detail than male leaders, were more organised and were better at multi-tasking. Jenny To advises women tocapitalise on their natural talents. ‘Use your feminine advantage,’ she says, ‘By and large,women are more attentive and better at people management.’

Many of the women were keen to point out that although they worked differently from many men, they didn’t view men as adversaries. Theresa Chan has this advice. ‘Focus on your strengths and what you’re good at. Men and women play different roles.’

What employers can do

Several of the women we spoke to believe their employers had really supported their career and helped them succeed. It’s clear that the right interventions and policies can help more women move into leadership positions.

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