Session: It's not personal, it's just business: understanding the value of empathy on teams
Every business decision affects people. Personal relationships are critical to successful organizations.
People can be reluctant to express any type of emotion in the workplace because ‘it’s just business.’ In an organization without empathy the focus is often on achieving goals no matter what the cost to employees. This is harmful to the wellbeing of employees, leadership, and the success of the organization.
Empathy is the ability to put yourself into someone else’s shoes, to be aware of their feelings and understand their needs. In the workplace, empathic people demonstrate care, understanding and respect for their co-workers.
An empathic leadership style can make everyone feel like a team, which leads to increased productivity, morale and team cohesiveness. Having empathy for your clients helps to build trust and strengthen relationships, which results in repeat business.
This will be an informative session with practical tips you can apply in your work and personal life right away.
Bio
Sarah’s career in the tech sector spans twenty-two years, where she has concentrated on leading projects that blend people, process and technology, to support organizational change and business process improvements.
Sarah is currently a senior program manager at Amazon. In prior roles she directed a team of business and quality assurance analysts. She has provided strategic advice and program management to startups and established organizations who desire to thrive amidst change while keeping their customers delighted.
Previously, as leadership coach, through her one-on-one coaching and workshops, Sarah has helped people to reach their full potential by using a strengths-based approach to develop effective leaders, thereby improving employee relationships and engagement.
Sarah is passionate about using education to change the world. She’s a proud board member of Helping Hands for India - a registered charity in Canada and India dedicated to providing opportunities to those who are less fortunate to improve their lives. The organization has built a school in a rural area in northern India and are providing free education to 300 students.