What are the core leadership competencies that set a great leader apart from a good one? The first skills that likely come to mind are communication, delegation and the ability to motivate others. However, an often overlooked — and underestimated — quality of a truly effective leader is their capacity for empathy.

In particular, Gen Z, who now make up a significant portion of the workforce, place a high value on empathy, ranking it as their second most important trait in a boss. Many leaders, however, still underestimate its importance and often rank it much lower on their list of priorities.

Leading with empathy involves more than just feeling sympathy or concern for another person’s emotions. It means actively engaging with and making every effort to understand the perspectives, experiences, and emotions of others. Empathetic leaders recognize the emotions of their team members and strive to connect emotionally. They show genuine care and concern.

Empathy does not equate to coddling or excessive pampering that can hinder personal and professional growth and lead to a lack of accountability. Instead, being empathetic involves fostering trust and connection through active listening and supportive responses, while still encouraging growth and maintaining accountability.

Empathetic leaders focus on building relationships and creating supportive environments where individuals feel valued and understood. Such an environment ultimately leads to higher levels of engagement, productivity, and satisfaction within the team.

To be empathetic, it’s necessary to be self-aware — another critical trait of authentic leadership. Leaders who are self-aware possess a deep understanding of their strengths, weaknesses and values. These leaders are more capable of building psychological safety and inspiring their teams to achieve common goals through effective communication and decision-making.

In essence, authentic leadership that prioritizes empathy and self-awareness serves as a unifying force that transcends generational boundaries. By cultivating these essential qualities, leaders create a positive work environment where individuals feel empowered, motivated and valued.

Ultimately, the ability to lead authentically, with empathy and self-awareness, is the cornerstone of effective leadership that drives organizational growth and success.

However, several factors can hinder progress toward cultivating these qualities. Organizational culture that resists change, personal biases, ingrained habits, and time constraints can all impede the development of empathy and self-awareness. To become an effective leader who is respected and not feared, you must intentionally commit to a practice of self-reflection, seek continuous feedback, and remain open to personal and professional growth.

How to Begin Building Emotional Intelligence as a Leader

Here are 15 habits to cultivate emotional intelligence and drive transformational leadership as a result:

1. Practice active listening: Give your full attention to speakers, avoid interruptions and respond thoughtfully. Strive to understand emotions behind words.
2. Seek feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from others to gain valuable insights for personal growth. Refrain from responding defensively.
3. Engage in self-reflection: Set aside time for introspection to analyze your actions and their impacts on others.
4. Improve emotional intelligence: Understand and manage your own emotions while recognizing and influencing others’ emotions.
5. Cultivate mindfulness: Practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation or interludes of present-moment awareness, to enhance perception and provide thoughtful responses.
6. Take genuine interest: Learn about team members’ interests, aspirations and challenges to strengthen relationships.
7. Acknowledge and validate feelings: Respectfully strive to appreciate team members’ emotions without judgment.
8. Be transparent and authentic: Foster trust by openly sharing your own challenges and reasons for decisions with honesty.
9. Develop cultural competence: Respect and appreciate diverse backgrounds and cultures to enhance empathy and inclusivity.
10. Encourage collaboration: Create a collaborative environment where all voices are heard and valued.
11. Model empathy in decision-making: Consider the impact on team members when making decisions to demonstrate empathy.
12. Invest in personal development: Continuously seek learning opportunities to enhance leadership skills and self-awareness.
13. Practice patience and compassion: Show patience and compassion toward yourself and your team as you navigate challenges.
14. Set a positive example: Lead by example to demonstrate integrity and self-awareness in all interactions.
15. Celebrate diversity: Recognize and celebrate the diverse strengths and perspectives within your team that foster innovation.

Choose one practice from the list to get started. Then, gradually incorporate others. Embrace the challenge to improve self-awareness and lead with empathy, then watch as your new leadership habits ignite a profound transformation within your organization and beyond. Improving your leadership approach begins with a single step — take it today and be the catalyst for a brighter, more compassionate future.