The Kindness Advantage
Updated: May 4
Why empathetic leaders don’t just feel better. They perform better.
Somewhere along the way, we got it wrong. Or we have been led down a garden path?
We started measuring leadership by pressure. By pace. By who could push the hardest and show the least.
And we called that strength.
But if you look around right now-at our workplaces, our teams, the wider world -it’s worth noting… it's not working.
Especially from what I see and hear...
WHAT THE NUMBERS SHOW
There’s plenty of research out there, but a few things really stand out.
Work by EY found that the vast majority of employees link empathy with better performance- not just feeling good, but working better, thinking more creatively, and contributing more.
And that lines up with what Catalyst found too. When people feel understood by their leaders, they’re far more likely to bring ideas, take initiative, and actually engage. When they don’t… they switch off.
Same people. Same roles. Just different leadership.
WHAT IT COSTS WHEN IT’S MISSING
This is the bit that often gets overlooked.
A lack of empathy isn’t just a “people issue” it shows up in retention, culture, and ultimately performance.
In the UK, disengagement is estimated to cost businesses over £250 billion a year (Gallup). That’s not about capability- it’s about how people feel at work.
And alongside that, we’re facing a growing challenge around sustainability.
Only a small proportion of employees feel they actually have the skills or knowledge to take meaningful climate action in their roles (Deloitte).
So we’ve got two things happening at once:
People feeling disconnected and people feeling unprepared
That’s not a coincidence.
WHY THIS MOMENT FEELS DIFFERENT
There’s a lot going on right now- economically, socially, environmentally. People are carrying more than we often see.
And interestingly, one of the simplest things still makes a difference.
Feeling appreciated.
A UK study by Deloitte found that most employees would put in more effort if they just felt recognised for what they do.
Not a big initiative. Not a complete overhaul. Just being seen.
At the same time, organisations are being asked to step up on sustainability, to meet net zero targets, to close skills gaps, to do more -often with teams who don’t feel equipped to do it.
You can’t separate those things.
WHERE THIS CONNECTS TO SUSTAINABILITY
You can have all the strategies, targets, and policies in the world-but they don’t land if people don’t feel confident or included in the conversation.
That’s where things like climate education and carbon literacy training come in.
Not as a tick-box exercise, but as a way of bringing people into the solution.
When people understand what it means for them, and feel supported to act, you start to see real change in behaviours, in decisions, in day-to-day impact.
And that’s where avoided emissions actually start to reduce.
KINDNESS, IN PRACTICE
This isn’t about being soft.
It’s about being aware.
It’s taking a moment to listen properly.
Explaining the “why” behind decisions.
Creating space for people to ask questions without feeling judged.
And when it comes to sustainability, it’s about making it feel relevant-not overwhelming.
Because when people feel safe and supported, they don’t just do the minimum.
They engage.
They care.
They take ownership.
THE OPPORTUNITY
We talk a lot about needing better leadership.
But maybe what we actually need is a shift in how we define it.
Leaders who can connect with people.
Who can bring them into change, not push it onto them.
Who understand that performance and humanity aren’t opposites.
Because when you get that right-when you combine empathy with practical education and action-you don’t just improve culture.
You unlock progress.
Kindness on its own matters.
But kindness that enables people to act?
This is the real impact for future leadership...
Kerry is the founder of Green Solutions Group, working at the intersection of wellness, sustainability and green business.
Comments