Empathy

Empathy is the ability to feel, or sense, the emotions of other people.  Empathy is sometimes confused with sympathy, which is the act of feeling sorry for someone.  Empathy, however, is the ability for a leader to understand the perspective of another.  It is also one of the five dimensions of emotional intelligence, as described by Daniel Goleman.  The other four dimensions of emotional intelligence include:  self regulation, motivation, social skills, and self awareness.

Empathizing leaders are able to understand the feelings of an organization, and build networks to help them stay in touch with the pulse of workers.  They are also well-equipped to deal with the internal politics of a company.   Finally, leaders exhibiting empathy are willing to work in the service of others.  Since they are acutely aware of other's feelings, they are willing to respect and protect the interests of the followers.