The crisis period is a time for leaders to show empathy to their team members. Crisis moments require leaders to demonstrate that they care for the people they lead. During a crisis, there is fear, hopelessness, despondency, uncertainty, and a tense atmosphere. This is the time your team members need you most. You must be sensitive to their plight, and you must just give comfort.
In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, two CEOs faced similar challenges but responded very differently. One sent a company-wide email announcing layoffs while vacationing on his yacht in the Mediterranean. The other, Alan Mulally of Ford Motor Company, took a $1 salary, sold his corporate jet, and spent days on factory floors talking with worried workers. The difference can be seen in the way the CEOs reacted to the same situation. One showed the team that we are in this together. The other sent a signal that I don’t care what happens to you.
Empathy is what distinguishes those who are leading from those who are manipulating their followers. True leaders influence others to follow them, and one of the ways they do that is through empathy. People get naturally attracted towards someone who cares about their feelings. The crisis period exposes many team leads as they are unable to rally their team. They don’t give hope; hence, they intensify the already tense atmosphere. They contribute to the state of despair because their words are depressing. They complicate the pain their followers are going through. However, this is not a trait of leadership.
Sounding insensitive and tone-deaf in times of crisis isn’t just a communications failure; it’s a fundamental leadership breakdown. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Better.com’s CEO, Vishal Garg, infamously laid off 900 employees via a three-minute Zoom call, stating bluntly that “if you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group being laid off.” The backlash was immediate and severe, not just because of the layoffs but because of the cold, mechanical way they were handled. He later apologised after recognising his mistake. “I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better,” he said. Compare this with Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky’s approach during the same period. When forced to lay off 25 percent of his workforce, Chesky sent a detailed, heartfelt letter explaining the situation, provided generous severance packages, and created a talent directory to help displaced workers find new jobs. “These people aren’t just employees,” Chesky wrote. “They’re our friends and family.”
The impact of empathy on leadership outcomes can never be overemphasised.
Research from the Centre for Creative Leadership found that managers who demonstrate empathy have employees who report feeling more innovative, engaged, and willing to stay with their companies. This isn’t just feel-good management theory; it’s practical business sense.
Satya Nadella’s leadership examples remain consistent in my writings. His demonstration of empathy contributed to the transformation of Microsoft. When he took over as CEO in 2014, the company was known for its cutthroat internal competition and declining morale. Nadella, whose personal experience raising a son with severe cerebral palsy had deepened his capacity for empathy, made cultural transformation his priority. “Empathy makes you a better innovator,” he frequently tells his teams. Under his leadership, the revenue of Microsoft increased from $86.8B in 2014 to $211.92B in 2023. Microsoft stock price moved from $38 in 2014 to $428.48 in 2024.
During crisis periods, true leaders distinguish themselves through their emotional intelligence. Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines’ CEO, strongly demonstrated this during the pandemic. While other airlines were quick to lay off staff, Bastian:
-held weekly virtual town halls where he answered unscripted questions;
-shared personal stories of his own struggles and uncertainties;
-implemented a profit-sharing program even during difficult times;
-personally called families of crew members lost to COVID-19; and
-the result was that Delta Air Lines maintained the highest employee satisfaction scores among major U.S. airlines during the crisis.
Below are practical activities leaders can cultivate to show empathy to their team members:
Active Listening Sessions: Starbucks’ Howard Schultz famously instituted “Open Forums,” where employees could share concerns directly with leadership.
Walking the Floor: During the 2011 tsunami crisis, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn immediately flew to affected areas in Japan, visiting workers and their families, understanding their needs firsthand.
Transparent Communication: When Marriott’s revenues plunged 90% during the pandemic, CEO Arne Sorenson’s emotional video message to employees became a masterclass in crisis communication, combining hard truth with genuine care.
As we navigate an increasingly complex business environment, the ability to lead with empathy will only become more crucial. After all, as Maya Angelou wisely noted, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria.
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