There are many skills that make a great leader, but what is the most important? Industry leaders across the board agree that the most important skill to possess is empathy.
Being an empathetic person is great for your relationships, but transferring that skill to your organization can be what makes you stand out amongst the others in your industry. One such industry standout is Galen Hair, property casualty attorney and owner of Insurance Claim HQ. His leadership style has allowed him to thrive when other businesses were failing.
In just a handful of years, Hair grew his company from a dozen employees to 800. During the pandemic, when many businesses were closing their doors and laying people off, Hair never fired a single employee. His company is growing and successful with him at the helm, and he is willing to share what he knows about leadership in an effort for other businesses to strengthen their teams and reach their full potential.
There’s No ‘I’ in Team
Whether you’re starting a company or you’ve been running one for years, one of the most important things is to have a solid team around you. It’s imperative to treat your staff, regardless of rank or position, with respect and kindness. They share in your goals and want to help you and your company reach them. Not to mention, they will be more inclined to do so the better you treat them.
While Hair didn’t fire a single employee during the pandemic, the most amazing fact is that none of them chose to leave either, and that is a true testament to Hair’s leadership style. When everything first started to shut down, Hair told his team, “Money might get tight, but if you fight for us, we’ll fight for you.”
This is just one small example of what it looks like to lead with empathy. He offered his team transparency and understanding, and this is something that can be done in situations much less dire. If you see someone on your team struggling or acting differently than usual, reach out. Ask them what you or your company can do for them. Hair believes that having compassion for underperforming or struggling employees can go a long way.
Being a team player shows your team that you value them and will in turn motivate them to do their best for you. This type of leadership is not singular to Hair, he teaches this to all of his senior staff.
Keep the Lines Open
While some information is best left to yourself or a small group of people, transparency is key. Good leaders don’t leave their team in the dark, especially when it comes to information that could affect their role in the organization or the team dynamics.
“You can be transparent without oversharing. You can be vulnerable without sending shockwaves of panic through your people. Being upfront means walking that line with your head held high,” said Hair.
Open lines of communication are the best option for a number of reasons. The first is that, in all honesty, your team can tell when something is going on or the company is facing difficulties. If staff is gossiping, they aren’t focused on their work and the information being spread around is probably to some degree worse than the truth. An unfocused team is an unproductive team, which is going to make your business suffer.
If untruths are being spread around and people start to fear for their jobs and you don’t step in and address the issue, dissent will likely spread and some employees may even decide they’re better off elsewhere. All of these issues, and many more, can stem from simply not being transparent when you should be. If you want your staff to trust you and remain focused and motivated, then you need to be an open and honest leader.
Set the Example
Leading with empathy isn’t something you do in the dark, it should be clear in how you act and interact with your staff. This behavior will be the foundation on which the company culture gets built and will allow all staff, both present and future, to understand what kind of business they’re a part of, what kind of leader they’re following, and what their team stands for.
“Create a company culture that exemplifies your values,” said Hair. “If you look forward to coming to work every day because you made a bubble that fosters creativity, care, innovation, whatever keeps you driving, your employees will feel the same way.”
When your team shares values, they’ll remain motivated to work towards a common goal together and help each other, which Hair believes is important both inside and outside of the office.
Some of the work that Hair and his staff have done for the company is rebuilding over 1,200 homes and businesses. Outside of the company, they have also volunteered together at local charities and functions. Caring for others is important to Hair and, in turn, is important to his staff. The empathy and compassion he leads inspires the same from his team. Additionally, working together in this way helps build team morale.
For Hair, running a successful business is all about leading with empathy when it comes to your coworkers and employees. If your team is struggling, or you are considering starting a business, Hair’s advice is certain to set you in the right direction.
About Galen Hair
Galen M Hair, Owner at Insurance Claim HQ, is a property casualty attorney who has helped over 1200 families rebuild their homes and businesses. He has been rated a Super Lawyers Rising Star and voted one of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Click here to learn more about protecting your property from disaster: http://www.insuranceclaimhq.com
