MORE THAN BUSINESS: 5 HEARTFELT WAYS LEADERS CAN SHOW HOW MUCH THEY CARE

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge." | Simon Sinek

Caring leaders will get the best out of their teams. I'll always remember when a mentor asked me to lead in a way that would move each team member to have a genuine love for me. I must admit this flew way over my head. But I later realized that he encouraged me to become a compassionate leader. When leaders show authentic care, their team is more likely to reciprocate with high commitment and strive to perform their best for the leader personally rather than merely fulfilling job duties. Theodore Roosevelt’s timeless insight underscores the need for caring leadership when he said, "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Let’s explore five actionable ways leaders can express their care to bring out the best in their teams:

Show Personal Concern

Effective leadership is rooted in real concern for others. Each team member is a person before they are an employee, and their personal well-being should be one of the highest priorities for a leader. A disturbing example comes from a colleague who fell gravely ill at the onset of COVID-19. She was less than 90 days into her role as a newly hired executive, and her C-Suite boss called her every day during her illness—often multiple times a day and well into the evenings, to discuss work issues and problems. After four days of absence, when she was still very sick and frightened by the skyrocketing daily death tolls caused by COVID-19, her boss asked her when she would return to work. This created an overwhelming sense of disappointment and alienation, as it became clear that her boss prioritized productivity over her personal well-being. Despite feeling extraordinary pressure, she returned prematurely. Upon returning, her boss never inquired about her condition but instead handed her a list of time-sensitive deliverables. This story illustrates how many leaders, like her boss, underestimate the profound impact of caring on team dynamics, individual well-being, and performance. This troubling incident should compel you to show true concern in your leadership approach to cultivate trust, elevate morale, and enrich the well-being and engagement of your team.

Demonstrate Empathy

Another critical aspect of leadership is exhibiting genuine understanding. A FranklinCovey article indicated that 83 to 88% of employees believe that empathic work environments yield increased organizational performance because workers feel heard, understood, cared for, and less burnt out. Additionally, 90% of workers state that empathetic leadership enhances job satisfaction. Specifically, when leaders practice empathy, it significantly influences their interactions with their team and everyone they encounter. Empathy involves placing oneself in another's shoes, making leaders sensitive and responsive to their team members' thoughts and experiences. This sensitivity enriches their communication and the supportive energy they bring into the room. When team members experience personal hardships, empathetic leaders adjust their communication styles to ensure care, kindness, and concern are shown and felt. As a result, their teams view them as sincerely caring, which increases trust, boosts morale, and is essential to long-term success. Therefore, you should lead with empathy by listening attentively and responding with care, and you will see trust grow, resulting in increased organizational performance.

Express Gratitude

Gratitude has the power to elevate individuals like nothing else. We should ask ourselves: How effectively do I express appreciation to my team, and am I seizing all opportunities to give thanks?" Do I acknowledge the small wins as much as the big achievements? As William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” Expressing genuine gratitude is another essential way for leaders to show they care. When a team member excels, the leader should promptly express appreciation both publicly and privately, which also requires a process. Gratitude should be timely, specific, genuine, and consistent, serving as fuel that fills the team with motivation. Gratefulness, whether through a personal compliment or a congratulatory email, elevates employee morale, makes them feel good, encourages high performance, and strengthens relationships with others and their leader. Reflect on your gratitude practices. Seize every chance to acknowledge minor and major achievements. Set reminders to express appreciation in various ways. Prioritize thankfulness and it will energize your team toward greater achievements.

Be Available

For leaders, an essential ability is availability. Teams thrive when leaders are approachable, visible, and easy to reach.  Team members feel supported when they know they can easily access their leader; it helps them to perform at their best. As Sheryl Sandberg eloquently stated, “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” This philosophy guided my leadership style. In my role leading a team of 650 people, I prioritized accessibility. Everyone had my cellphone number. I also had an open-door policy. If I missed someone, I returned their call as soon as I was available. I visited each workspace in my operation on a consistent basis. I am a firm believer in MBWA (Managing by Walking Around), a term popularized by Tom Peters.  Doing this strengthened the teams’ perception of my availability and approachability. Team members felt comfortable approaching me with issues their managers couldn't resolve, knowing I would help. In the same way, show how much you care by practicing the power of presence. Be visible, approachable, and responsive. Manage through presence and foster open communication. Doing this will empower your team to deliver their best work.

Commit to Their Success

Lastly, leaders who commit to each team member’s success create lasting impressions of care. They prioritize both personal and professional growth. This approach supports organizational objectives through various means, such as training, coaching, mentoring, and stretch assignments. Chick-fil-A exemplifies this by fostering a positive, supportive workplace, promoting from within, and investing in leadership development. Employees feel valued through generous scholarships and tuition assistance, reinforcing a culture of servant leadership. I personally know someone who rose through the Chick-fil-A ranks to become an owner-operator—proof of their impactful, caring culture. Take the first step today and invest in your team’s growth with intentional training and mentorship that align personal success with organizational goals. Think about a mentor who shaped your career. What specific impact did their support have on your journey? Foster a culture of care, development, and empowerment—because when your people thrive, your organization excels.

I encourage you to lean into your highest potential as a leader by leading with your heart. Show genuine care by truly seeing your team as real people and not resources to deliver a result. Commit to care, empathy, and compassion every day. Start today by showing authentic concern for your team’s well-being and listening with empathy. Celebrate achievements, whether big or small. Do it consistently and sincerely. Make yourself available as much as possible. Invest in each team member’s growth through mentoring and growth opportunities, just as others did for you. Your actions will nurture trust, inspire loyalty, and yield high performance because your team knows that you really care about them.

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LeaderLift equips leaders to “Show Genuine Care” through assessments, training, coaching, consulting programs, and keynote speaking. Our hands-on approach to leadership development helps participants lift their performance and make a positive and sustained impact within their organizations.

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© 2025 Dr. Clinton Parker III | LeaderLift. All rights reserved.