The business world is experiencing a revolution.
We are not talking about technology, innovation, Big Data or blockchain.
Let’s talk about men, emotions, behaviors.
Let’s talk about leadership styles.
It seems like yesterday that the world praised Steve Jobs: a leader undoubtedly visionary and inspiring, but under whose black turtleneck he beat an insensitive soul and arrogant behavior.
And today in his place is Tim Cook: a leader who, by his own admission, believes more in humanity than in technology, more in compassion than in success, and through empathy, he tries to improve the lives he manages to touch every day.
It seems yesterday, then, that Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, jumped like crazy on the convention stage, shouting at his employees and the entire public and showing off an overwhelming personality and always out of line.
And today in his place is Satya Nadella: a calm leader, a man who has learned in the field – with the birth of a child with disabilities – the importance of compassion and of understanding. A man who brings optimism and kindness to the company every day and who has changed the Company Culture, taking Microsoft from a “know-it-all” company to a “learn-it-all”. Modesty? Not only that: today Microsoft is curious, open, predisposed to innovation and learning.
And we could go on, telling the profound transformation Uber experienced in passing from founder Travis Kalanick, accused of sexism and harassment and known for his despot character, to Dara Khosrowshahi, the new CEO who introduced himself to his employees by sending an email extolling emotional intelligence, imbued with empathy and humility.
Goodbye self-reported manager, self-centered and powerful, and welcome a respectful leader, grateful and collaborative.
A leadership style that evolves and works: observing the results of the Global Empathy Index, it emerged that the top 10 companies ranked for respect for resources and customers, achieved 50% of income more than the last 10.
The reason? An empathic and compassionate leader knows how to bring out the best in their employees, making them feel comfortable, understood and valued at all times.
An empathic leader knows how to take the reins of a team, indicating the way to go and leading it to success. A guide that is not only theoretical but also practical: the new enlightened leaders really get involved, working as a team and rolling up their sleeves together with the whole group. No hierarchies, no favoritism: to cross the finish line as winners all row with the same intensity. Leader included.
The empathic leader also understands the customer
The empathy of the leader is not only functional in creating a relaxed and productive work environment, but also in satisfying the customer.
A manager who is able to get in touch with the needs of the other and to truly understand her needs also knows to respond to the needs of consumers with truly decisive products and services.
An example above all? The rebirth of Microsoft under the leadership of Satya Nadella.
It was 2014 when Satya Nadella took control of the Company, inheriting a Company strongly criticized for its inaction.
At the time of the handover, Microsoft was synonymous with Windows and a little more. No leaps, no futuristic visions, no ambitious prospects.
Thanks to Satya Nadella, who has promoted a curious and fresh culture, the Company has become in a few years a pioneer in cutting-edge technologies, establishing itself as a leader in cloud computing and in Artificial Intelligence.
Today Microsoft understands its customers and has stepped out of its metallic gray shell to embrace the colors of diversity and offer a truly useful service in people’s daily lives.