Do Your Leaders Have Empathy?

I love the reality show Undercover Boss but I have to watch it alone because I often become a little weepy!  I’ve gotten much softer with age.  You probably know what generally happens in each show.  A company executive plants himself in his own organization in order to find out what’s really happening and to make improvements.  He works side-by-side with individuals who perform some of the most difficult, demanding, and dirty jobs in the company. 

After a short period of time, the undercover boss gets to know people in very personal ways and also finds out first-hand about their work challenges. 

Near the end of each episode, after getting all kinds of unfiltered information, the leader begins to make various organizational changes.  Finally, the Boss meets one-on-one with some of his “recent co-workers” and discloses who he is and his role.  Each employee is usually completely surprised.

What We Can Learn

In nearly every episode, Undercover Boss reveals some very good leadership lessons.  The undercover boss connects with his employees in ways that bring out different kinds of emotions.  For me, many scenes are quite moving – that’s why I watch alone, so nobody sees teary eyed, David – ha ha ha. 

In particular, there’s one episode with Mitchell Modell of Modell Sporting Goods that I’ve especially enjoyed.  Mitchell really connects with his workers and it shows.  Below, I’ve unveiled four tactics that Mitchell uses to empathize and connect with his workers.  We can use these same principles to get our leaders more engaged with their workers and workers to their leaders.

1. Listen till it hurts.  By its very nature, productive listening is hard work, especially when it comes to something as important as safety.  Asking the right questions, listening actively, and acting upon important feedback is critical.  But listening also affords opportunities to feel what the workers are feeling and to better engage with them concerning their challenges and avenues for improvement.  Listening shows concern and opens communications for ongoing safety improvement.  

      2. Look through people not at them.  Mitchell Modell does something that not every leader is able to do.  He looks through people in order to feel what they feel and value the same.  He sees their living situation, financial challenges, and the families they are attempting to support.  All of this draws the leader into a more empathetic state but also endears the worker to the leader.  This alone can pay big dividends, especially when done for the right reasons. 

3. Meet on their turf.  Leaders who are like the well-connected undercover boss know the importance of working with and listening to their employees on “their turf.”  And their turf is a breeding ground for discovering possibilities for improvement and increasingly open two-way communications.  Their turf is where workers can more readily point out specific challenges and the reality of their everyday environment.  But it takes time, patience, and a leader who really wants to become more transparent. 

4. Show appreciation.  Near the end of each episode of Undercover Boss, some workers are given raises, bonuses, monetary gifts, and promotions because of their input and daily efforts.  On other occasions, workers are simply recognized for their hard work.  Mostly, this is what every employee wants – appreciation for their efforts.  And when it comes to safety, people need to be shown appreciation and recognized for their feedback and effort.  Showing appreciation is free and can easily be displayed through a kind word or thoughtful gesture.  However, I see organizational leaders miss regular opportunities to show appreciation for various safety-related efforts each and every day. Showing appreciation costs absolutely nothing!

In The End...

I really don't care if some believe that Undercover Boss is staged or contrived.  It provides valuable insights regarding the way leaders are able to connect with their workers and how each side can become more engaged and productive.  Boss also brings out the kind of “leadership empathy” that is so sorely needed in today’s fast paced organizations.  It is the kind of empathy that I observed with some of the best leaders that I’ve coached and consulted for over the last 30 years.  These are leaders who are able to experience greater productivity because they engage through empathy – and safety is all about productivity improvement, just ask me!

Many leaders need to tap into their own empathy and use it on a more consistent basis.  Peter Drucker once stated that empathy is "the number one practical competency for success in life."  At the core of one’s culture for safety, I believe that empathy is a practical competency that builds trust and ongoing reciprocity.

I believe empathy can be taught, discovered, learned, and effectively used for the good of an entire organization – especially in terms of ongoing safety improvement which impacts morale, productivity, and quality too.  It may take the right circumstances, but you need to give empathy a try.  I’ve provided a start, and I’m trusting you’ll find a bit more empathy too!


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David J. Sarkus, MS, CSP is an author, speaker, consultant, and coach with over 30 years of experience. He has written five books and more than 60 evidence-based articles. He is president and founder of David Sarkus International, Inc., which provides a full menu of safety leadership and culture driven services for some of the biggest and best run organizations in the world.  Please visit www.DavidSarkus.com for more information. David can also be reached at 1-800-240-4601.