Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO of The For Baby's Sake Trust explores the benefits of empathetic leadership and how it works at the trust
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What is empathetic leadership?
Empathetic leadership is the practice of understanding and sharing the feelings of others within the context of leadership. It goes beyond sympathy: it involves deeply connecting with people’s experiences and emotions. Brené Brown, a renowned thought leader on vulnerability and empathy, teaches that empathy is about being present and truly listening without judgment. In the context of leadership, it means creating an environment where individuals feel seen, heard, and valued.

At The For Baby’s Sake Trust, empathetic leadership is integral to our trauma-informed approach. Our work revolves around understanding the complex and painful experiences of families affected by domestic abuse and trauma. Empathy is not just a leadership style for us; it is at the core of our work. We believe that as a team we need to embody these principles; ensuring that we are proactive in understanding others and creating a culture of safety and care.

What are the benefits? And drawbacks, if any?
Empathetic leadership fosters trust, loyalty, and collaboration within teams. At The For Baby’s Sake Trust, our empathetic approach helps create a safe space for team members and families, encouraging openness and authenticity. This leads to more effective communication and a stronger sense of community, which is essential for delivering trauma-informed work.

We can’t separate our work selves, from whom we are and what we have experienced. It also removes a dangerous tendency we sometimes see in the charity sector to act as if we are ‘saviours’ to others or have our lives all sorted. As a leader, I don’t hold that it is a weakness to share my authentic self, but believe it helps others to relate to me, understand where we have shared experiences, and feel safe. Recently, I took part in a podcast, which was shared across our external and internal channels, where I shared some deeply personal experiences. I felt nervous after it went out but was deeply touched when a team member reached out to share how it had helped them to know me better. Openness and empathetic leadership can build closer relationships across teams, creating a sense of togetherness and cultivating a more honest culture.

However, empathetic leadership can have drawbacks. It can be challenging to balance empathy with the need for appropriate boundaries. Sometimes there can be a misconception that because we uphold principles of empathy and kindness, we are not prepared to take decisive action, but kindness and empathy should never exclude honesty and accountability. It is crucial for leaders to maintain self-discipline and self-care, make time for reflection, and set boundaries to ensure the team operate within safe and professional parameters. It is also important to recognise that not everyone will feel safe to be vulnerable, and it takes time to build trust. Vulnerability can be a marker of privilege; my safe space, may not be your safe space. If we practice empathetic leadership that includes respecting others boundaries and seeking to understand the reasons for them.

How do you put it into practice in your organisation?
At The For Baby’s Sake Trust, we are seeking to weave empathetic leadership into the fabric of our organisational culture. We actively practice empathy by engaging with our team and the families we support on a personal level, truly listening to their experiences and concerns. Our trauma-informed approach requires us to understand the deep-seated issues that impact families, and we extend this understanding to ourselves.

We promote a culture of self-care and reflection, recognising that to lead with empathy, our team must also take care of their own emotional well-being. By fostering a supportive environment, we empower our staff to lead with empathy and to make decisions that reflect our shared values. This includes offering all team members rest and reflect days and expanding reflective supervision to all roles within the Trust.

It is also important to us that this approach is evident in our relationships with others outside of our organisation. We know there are different motivations that draw people to a cause, that we will take different approaches and that we will not always see eye to eye. It is important that we seek to listen first and understand where others are coming from, that we encourage mutual support and collaboration, and that we are open about our own areas of challenge and need for development. We truly believe we are stronger together with our diversity of experience and perspectives – and that long-term social change is a movement of people, celebrating our strengths and acknowledging our weaknesses.

How can other charities move to a more empathetic leadership?
To move towards a more empathetic leadership, charities must first embrace the idea that empathy is a strength not a weakness. Brené Brown’s work highlights the importance of vulnerability in leadership, which is key to building genuine connections. Charities should invest in training that encourages leaders to listen actively and understand the experiences of their teams and those they serve.

Incorporating a trauma-informed approach, as we do at The For Baby’s Sake Trust, can help charities deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by their staff, and those they support. This approach ensures that empathy is not just an occasional practice but a core value that guides all decisions and interactions.

Charities should also prioritise creating a culture where empathy is valued and modelled at all levels of leadership. This involves setting clear expectations for empathetic behaviour, providing resources for self-care, and fostering an environment where staff feel safe to express their emotions. By doing so, charities can build stronger, more resilient teams that are better equipped to make a meaningful impact.

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