What are the most common empathy barriers in supervisory relationships?

2 Lack of skills

Another common empathy barrier in supervisory relationships is the lack of skills to communicate and demonstrate empathy effectively. Supervisors who lack the skills to listen actively, ask open-ended questions, paraphrase, reflect, and express empathy verbally and non-verbally may fail to convey their genuine interest, respect, and support for their employees. This can result in employees feeling unheard, misunderstood, or dismissed, which can lower their motivation, engagement, and productivity. To overcome this barrier, supervisors need to develop and practice their empathy skills, which means being able to listen attentively, ask relevant and respectful questions, summarize and clarify what they hear, reflect and validate the emotions and perspectives of their employees, and express empathy using appropriate words, tone, and body language.

3 Lack of time

A third common empathy barrier in supervisory relationships is the lack of time to engage in empathic interactions with employees. Supervisors who are overwhelmed by their workload, deadlines, and responsibilities may have little or no time to devote to building and maintaining empathic relationships with their employees. This can result in employees feeling neglected, unappreciated, or isolated, which can affect their morale, loyalty, and performance. To overcome this barrier, supervisors need to prioritize and manage their time effectively, which means being able to plan, organize, delegate, and streamline their tasks, and being able to allocate sufficient and regular time to communicate and connect with their employees on a personal and professional level.

4 Lack of trust

A fourth common empathy barrier in supervisory relationships is the lack of trust between supervisors and employees. Supervisors who do not trust their employees may have difficulty empathizing with them, as they may perceive them as incompetent, unreliable, or dishonest. Employees who do not trust their supervisors may have difficulty opening up to them, as they may fear being criticized, rejected, or manipulated. This can result in a vicious cycle of distrust, defensiveness, and resentment, which can hinder the collaboration, innovation, and performance of both parties. To overcome this barrier, supervisors need to establish and maintain trust with their employees, which means being able to demonstrate their competence, reliability, and integrity, and being able to show their appreciation, recognition, and feedback for their employees' work and contributions.

5 Lack of diversity

A fifth common empathy barrier in supervisory relationships is the lack of diversity in the workplace. Supervisors who work in a homogeneous environment may have difficulty empathizing with employees who have different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, or perspectives. Employees who work in a diverse environment may have difficulty empathizing with supervisors who have different leadership styles, expectations, or preferences. This can result in cultural clashes, communication gaps, and conflicts, which can affect the harmony, creativity, and performance of the team. To overcome this barrier, supervisors need to embrace and celebrate diversity in the workplace, which means being able to learn about, respect, and appreciate the differences and similarities among their employees, and being able to adapt their leadership style, expectations, and preferences to suit the needs and preferences of their employees.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?