An introduction to the gentle leadership style

People should be placed at the centre of your organisation. This focus on employee well-being is essential to ensure job satisfaction and employee engagement. For leaders, this means having empathy and a collaborative leadership style. In this section, we start by defining leadership and the various leadership styles before focussing on gentle leadership.

What is leadership?

Leadership is the ability to lead a group of individuals and to get them to work together to achieve a common goal. Leadership is a skill that requires the ability to guide, influence, motivate and make decisions. Being a leader is much more than being a manager. It requires the following qualities:

• Having a clear vision and defined goals: A strong leader is able to define clear goals for their teams. These goals should be simple and achievable.
• Being a great communicator: Both verbal and non-verbal communication are essential leadership qualities. Leaders are serene and get their message across effectively.
• Inspiring teams: Managers who are inspiring are great leaders. They encourage their teams to work towards their goals and lead by example.
• Driving strong motivation: Knowing how to motivate people is a quality that leaders should possess. This can be achieved through employee recognition.
• Being organised and good at planning: Planning is a quality that is necessary for leaders. From staffing management to project planning, this skill is essential for the team to function well.
• Having empathy: People leaders work with others constantly. Having the ability to manage relationships with empathy is an essential quality.

Read more: A comprehensive list of leadership qualities: a guide

Existing leadership styles

When it comes to leadership, everyone has their own different approach and style. These different leadership styles are outlined below:

• Transformational leadership: Transformational leaders have the ability to inspire their teams. They are great communicators with a clear vision. Their inspire confidence and are charismatic.
• Transactional leadership: Transactional leadership is based on the achievement of clear goals. This approach sets clear expectations and encourages exchanges between leaders and team members.
• Situational leadership: With this leadership style, leaders adapt to the situations that they face. As such, their behaviour will change according to the team that they are managing or the team member that they are working with.
• Democratic leadership: The democratic leadership style is highly collaborative and considers the opinion of team members for the decision-making process. Everyone in the team can have their say and is actively involved.
• Transglobal leadership: When the organisation is multi-cultural and highly diverse, this leadership style is appropriate. It encourages the understanding of different cultures. With this awareness, transglobal leaders are able to manage teams across the globe.
• Gentle leadership: Gentle leadership is about being collaborative. This approach focuses on empathy and considers employees’ personal situations. It is a new leadership philosophy that is highly empathic.

More on gentle leadership

Gentle leadership is an emerging trend that is rising in popularity. The approach prioritises people. It is compassionate and highly empathic. Gentle leaders are understanding. They create a nurturing and supportive environment for their teams and show respect in all situations. This approach naturally builds strong relationships between leaders and their team members. It encourages positive reinforcement and two-way communication. This leadership style considers people’s emotions and personal circumstances. Gentle leadership results in employee empowerment and positive relationships. It also fuels meaningful connections.

Benefits of gentle leadership for your organisation

The style that your leaders adopt has an impact on your teams and on the business as a whole. Organisations that encourage gentle leadership get the following benefits from it:

• Boosts creativity and innovation: Gentle leadership makes people feel valued and as such has a direct impact on creativity and innovation.
• Instates an environment of trust: When leaders display empathy, they instate trust and as such create an environment free of judgement. The approach has a positive impact on company culture .
• Optimises productivity: When people are engaged and motivated, they have more drive for their work. As such, gentle leadership results in increased productivity.
• Increases employee satisfaction: As it drives a positive work environment, this type of leadership naturally results in increased employee satisfaction. This has a domino effect on employee retention.
• Encourages team collaboration: The collaborative approach means that everyone has a voice. Working collectively and with open communication leads to faster problem solving and better decision making.
• Motivates employees and drives engagement: Employee engagement is paramount for your organisation. Gentle leaders are motivational. They implement clear goals and support their teams to achieve them. This leadership style undeniably drives engagement and motivates employees.

Related: How to develop employee engagement and motivation in the workplace

Tips on how to deploy a gentle leadership strategy

The benefits of gentle leadership for your teams are undeniable. This leadership style is emerging and therefore leaders might need guidance to adopt it. Here are some recommendations on how they can incorporate gentle leadership in their work and with their teams:

• Communicate a clear and simple vision: By communicating a clear vision, you bring people together and create a team spirit. This vision should be clear and thoroughly communicated.
• Be kind and patient: Being kind, empathic and patient are essential qualities of gentle leaders. When things go wrong, remain calm, composed and move towards a solution. Acknowledge people’s emotions and be patient with their process.
• Encourage two-way communication: Gentle leaders encourage two-way communication. This means that they proactively ask their team members for feedback and opinions. This communication should be free of judgement to ensure that everyone is comfortable sharing.

Related: Communication at your workplace: positive and constructive feedback for employees

• Be accommodating: Being flexible and accommodating can go a long way. Gentle leaders consider an employee’s personal circumstances and understand how these can affect their work. Being flexible is also recognising that everyone has different ways of working.
• Get involved and be supportive: Jumping in and supporting your team members with their tasks when necessary is highly valued by employees. Gentle leaders offer their support and encouragement.
• Ensure ongoing recognition: Don’t forget to recognise your employees’ hard work and achievements. Recognition goes a long way and is necessary for this leadership style. By rewarding your employees’ work, you will motivate them and make them feel valued.

Related: Creating an employee recognition programme – the ultimate guide

• Ask for feedback: When leaders ask for feedback, they demonstrate that they are willing to learn and improve. They also show that they are willing to listen and to adjust.
• Lead by example: Leading by example is about being consistent and connecting the dots between what you say and what you do. Leading by example often results in gaining the team’s respect, trust and faith.
• Stay strategic and focussed on goals: For highly involved leaders, it is easy to get tangled in the nitty-gritty of a team member’s tasks. It is essential that gentle leaders are supportive yet remain strategic. They should keep the overarching goal in sight and provide their teams with regular reminders.

Empathic leaders are highly beneficial for your organisation. They contribute to a positive work culture and drive employee engagement. Encourage the gentle leadership style with your managers, provide them with training and increase their awareness on this leadership philosophy. Doing so will empower your employees and be the source of long-term business success.