One of my collaborators didn't deliver the work he had promised.
This week, I arrive on one of our weekly calls and clearly, I want to address the topic of his non-performance.
There are 2 ways of approaching this:
-
To tell him that he hasn't delivered the work he promised me and that if things don't change, I'll have to find someone else.
-
Tell him that he hasn't delivered the work he promised and ask him "how are you...really"?
I chose the 2nd option, the path of EMPATHY.
His reply: "It's not really going well, I'm running out of time, I've got exams to study and I had another big contract to deliver.
My answer: "I'm glad you told me, now how can I help you"?
Taking the path of empathy means putting yourself in the shoes of the other person, without making judgments about their situation.
Right now, if you want to connect, motivate and mobilize your teams, choose the path of the emphatic leader. It's the key to connection.
If you're looking for more empathy in your team, check out our TeamTalk game.
P.S. How demotivating it would have been for him if I had chosen option 1.
Hubu: Because We Are.
