This is the classic Managerial Grid Model made known by Blake & Mouton, 1964.
As we can see the 5 Key Characteristics are as below:
1. Impoverished Style
The Apathic Manager - has a low focus on getting the job done. He/She doesn't really care about the people of the team, neither about the effectiveness or the productivity of the team. This results in a disorganised team & high dissatisfaction amongst team members.
2. Produce or Perish Style
The Antipathic Manager - is totally focused on results and doesn't pay any attention to the needs of his/her team members. This will usually come along with strict & authoritarian rules that will enable strong results in the short term. But in the long term, this demoralises team members, which will effect performance or staff turnover.
3. Middle of the Road Style (Status Quo)
We don't have to say much about this because this manager compromises on both ends, and fails to either produce or motivates his/her team members. Ultimately, this produces mediocre results.
4. Country Club Style
The Sympathetic Manager - is most concerned about his teams needs and feelings. This usually results in a fun & relaxed workplace, but productivity suffers. This is due to lack of motivation, direction & control.
5. Team Style
The Empathetic Manager - is the most effective management style. They prioritise getting work done and people's needs. They make sure that their team members understand the organisations' goals, and that they have a personal stake in the outcome. This creates an environment of trust and respect.
From here we can see that...
Empathy helps us to relate to others.
Empathy helps us connect.
Empathy helps us to build trust & respect.
Empathy builds cohesion in a team.
An organisation is like a brain. Where the brain is wholly interconnected with nodes and neurones that help the brain function.
When one "node" is not connected to another, when there is a "clot" in the system, the whole organisation can break down.
As human beings of an organisation, we are the "emotional nodes" that uses our emotions to connect one another.
This is literally ingrained in our brains with what's called the "mirror neurons".
"A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were itself acting."
Ultimately, on a subconscious level when multiple organisms move and engage one very closely - there is a chance where even our heartbeats may sync together.
Imagine having a whole organisation, having the same rhythmic heartbeat.
With Empathy, we can take one step towards making this a reality.