In today's high-expectations work environment, leaders face a tough challenge: delivering results while making sure their team members feel valued and supported. Dr. Jay Campbell, chief product officer at Blanchard, believes that the key lies in combining empathy with accountability.

“Empathy is urgently needed today—perhaps more than at any time in the past decade,” says Dr. Campbell. “But leaders must overcome the common misconception that they have to choose between high empathy and high accountability.”

Why Empathy Matters

Empathy isn't just about being nice—it's a powerful leadership skill. EY’s 2023 Empathy in Business Survey shows there are many upsides to empathetic leadership in the workplace, including:

  • Inspiring positive change within the workplace (87%)
  • Mutual respect between employees and leaders (87%)
  • Increased productivity among employees (85%)
  • Reduced employee turnover (78%)

Empathy leads to a more positive, productive, and satisfied workforce.

The Role of Accountability

While empathy is crucial, accountability ensures that goals are met. However, many leaders struggle with this aspect according to a recent study:

  • Only 15% of leaders have clearly defined and communicated their key results.
  • 82% of managers admit they either try and fail or avoid holding others accountable.

It's not about choosing one over the other. Both are important.

Mastering the Balance

The good news, says Dr. Campbell, is “You can be highly empathetic and dialed into what somebody's going through while you’re helping them stay focused on their commitments.”

He outlines three essential skills for empathetic leadership: communicating intentionally, feeling their feelings, and responding thoughtfully.

  • Communicating intentionally means having conversations that involve deep listening and respectful questions. It’s about checking in with people on how they are doing and following up on prior discussions. The goal is to have interactions where direct reports feel seen and heard.
  • The second skill, feeling their feelings, requires a genuine understanding of employees' experiences and perspectives. Campbell says this involves putting yourself into other people's shoes to fully grasp their experiences. He recommends that leaders demonstrate the qualities of curiosity, helpfulness, and self-awareness. These mindsets can build trust and deepen connections, which ultimately fosters a resilient and motivated workforce.
  • The final pivotal skill, responding thoughtfully, is all about leaders choosing how they want to react—with an eye toward maintaining accountability.

As Campbell explains, “With some help, you can get through workplace challenges faster and it can be fun. Improved engagement, connection, performance, retention, and goal attainment—these are the positive outcomes an organisation can have if their leaders figure out how to integrate high empathy with high accountability. It’s about creating a culture where employees feel seen and heard, truly valued, and trusted to overcome their challenges.”

About the Author

David Witt is a Program Director for Blanchard®. He is an award-winning researcher and host of the companies’ monthly webinar series. David has also authored or coauthored articles in Fast Company, Human Resource Development Review, Chief Learning Officer and US Business Review.