Małgorzata Górska
People Culture & Communication Director at VeloBank S.A.
Warsaw, Poland
Modern times require an adaptation of leadership models to meet emerging challenges. We are moving away from a traditional approach in which the team serves the leader, toward one in which the leader manages the team in a multidimensional and mindful way—responding to its needs, adapting to people, their requirements, stages of development, and the projects they are working on. Situational leadership has been known for years; however, today’s environment is significantly more demanding.
We operate in a BANI world—brittle, anxious, nonlinear, and incomprehensible—which can generate uncertainty and fear due to its instability, unpredictability, and complexity. This means that organizations must strive for a deeper understanding of contemporary challenges and communicate changes transparently. It is also essential to build resilient and flexible structures, for example by developing competencies such as mental resilience, self- and co-regulation in change, and emotional intelligence, as well as by creating strategies that respond to rapid and unpredictable shifts.
Today’s environment requires teams not only to possess analytical tools and functional competencies—both innate and acquired—but also mental and relational capabilities. This calls for attentive and highly conscious leadership: leaders who are mature, self-aware, and have a strong sense of self-worth, enabling them to build stable working environments with strong, diverse teams.
Intergenerational diversity brings enormous potential, but also challenges in managing teams whose members differ in needs, knowledge, working styles, openness to learning, and use of technology. Generation Z and younger Millennials—new entrants to the labour market—have different expectations of management than previous generations. They expect authenticity and honesty. Rigid formulas and empty slogans do not work. A leader who communicates clearly, keeps their word, speaks openly about emotions, and demonstrates their values in practice builds trust. They are expected to be “real,” not distant or hidden behind procedures or glass walls in an executive office. They should respect boundaries, provide space for development without fear of failure, and create meaning in work—focusing not only on results, but also on how they are achieved.
In contrast, Baby Boomers typically value stability, loyalty to the employer, and clear hierarchy. They expect long-term employment, regular income, and respect for experience and traditional principles. Generation Z, on the other hand, prioritises flexibility, rapid development, and work–life balance. They expect remote work opportunities, frequent feedback, and a more open and less formal environment.
In diverse teams, where members bring different talents, needs, expectations, fears, and challenges, a uniform approach is insufficient—if the goal is to build a strong, engaged, and effective team that achieves its objectives. This is especially true in a world of increasing psychological fragility, globalisation, and rapidly advancing technology, which transforms the labour market while evoking a wide range of emotions—from excitement to fear of job loss.
What is needed is a management style in which the leader consciously uses empathy as an operational management tool. In practice, this means noticing, understanding, and taking into account the emotions, needs, and perspectives of others. It requires moving away from traditional hierarchical management models, conservatively built authority, and the perception of professionalism as “leaving emotions at home,” where empathy is often mistakenly seen as a weakness.
Importantly, an empathetic approach to management does not mean abandoning goal orientation, high standards, or performance expectations. Empathy in leadership is about combining attentiveness with the delivery of high-quality outcomes, enabling the building of strong, engaged, and resilient teams. The modern world values flexibility, creativity, critical thinking, and also empathy as a leadership tool.
What is empathy?
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the emotions, needs, and perspectives of other people. It does not mean agreeing with everyone or everything, nor does it involve absorbing or taking on others’ emotions. What matters is attentiveness in noticing and understanding them.
Empathy operates on an emotional level, through natural responses to the emotions of others. It also functions on a cognitive level, allowing us to understand why someone may feel a certain way, and on a compassionate level, which leads to the desire to help.
Empathy is crucial not only in leadership but above all in our relationships and social life, forming the foundation of our interactions (including with ourselves). It helps build trust and bonds, resolve conflicts effectively, improve collaboration, support well-being and mental health, and foster understanding and space for diversity. Ultimately, it makes us better and more effective leaders.
How to use empathy in daily management
- Active listening – the leader does not only hear but truly listens, capturing verbal, non-verbal, and emotional signals, enabling timely responses and a deeper understanding of what is happening within the team.
- Understanding others’ perspectives – recognising the sources of behaviours, concerns, and motivations, which can be translated into feedback or responses to employees’ needs, reducing the risk of turnover.
- Responding with care and respect – making decisions that balance business goals with employee well-being, ensuring long-term positive outcomes.
- Building psychological safety – creating space where people can share challenges, problems, and ideas without fear of judgement, enabling early identification of risks and smoother management of change.
- Authenticity and consistency – acting in line with declared values, transparency, and honesty, which creates a desirable workplace culture.
- Self-awareness – understanding one’s strengths, limitations, emotions, and the ability to regulate them effectively.
Empathy builds trust, strengthens motivation and engagement, reduces costly employee turnover, and can prevent burnout. It also reduces stress, protects well-being, and increases job satisfaction. People operating in a safe environment are more innovative and creative, with greater willingness to experiment, propose new solutions, and take risks.
Empathy becomes an operational leadership skill. It is no longer just a personality trait but an essential element of everyday management, directly influencing team performance and organisational outcomes. It enables a deeper understanding of people—their motivations, limitations, and emotions—leading to better managerial and conflict-resolution decisions. It also improves communication by interpreting situations not only through data and facts but also through emotional context, allowing leaders to detect tensions, misunderstandings, or declining engagement earlier.
Empathy also increases team effectiveness. People are more willing to engage and take responsibility when they feel understood and treated as individuals rather than merely “resources.” It is also a key tool in change management, helping leaders anticipate how teams will respond to new processes or requirements and plan accordingly, making transitions smoother and reducing resistance.
Modern organisations are increasingly balancing technological and human dimensions of work. Roles are evolving, work is often hybrid or remote, and technology is accelerating change. At the same time, emotions remain central and are often intensified by continuous learning demands and uncertainty about the future of work. This requires thoughtful use of technology alongside open conversations about emotions, development, and career adaptation. Remote and hybrid work also requires different approaches to engagement than traditional office-based models.
Empathy is therefore not only a desirable competence but also one of the foundations of modern, effective lead.
