The Sweet Spot Between Empathy and Authority: How to Lead with Heart AND Rigour
Great leadership lies in balancing empathy and authority. While empathy builds trust and connection, authority ensures accountability and results. Leaning too far in either direction can undermine your effectiveness, but combining heart with rigour creates a leadership style that inspires, empowers, and delivers. In this piece, we explore how to master this balance.
Why Empathy and Authority Are Both Hugely Relevant
Empathy
A beacon for trust, strengthens relationships, and provides a safe space in which team members can share ideas and challenges.
Authority
Sets boundaries, promotes accountability, and ensures being directed towards organisational goals.
A leader who doesn’t have empathy will alienate their team, while a leader who doesn’t have authority risks losing control. The sweet spot is finding out where both coexist
How to Lead With Heart and Rigour
1. Set Expectations With Empathy
Leaders who clarify expectations with an awareness of each individual’s own challenges create accountability without alienation.
Actionable Tactic
As you delegate tasks, ask team members what they would need in order to succeed.
Pro Tip
Use language such as, “How can I help you meet this goal?” to combine clarity with care.
Iron Lady Says
“Clear expectations are an act of empathy—they empower your team to deliver confidently.”
2. Listen Actively, But Decide Firmly
Inspirational leaders listen to different voices but are decisive with conviction.
Actionable Tactic:
Implement a “Listen-Filter-Decide” approach: Hear concerns, filter out extraneous noise, and decide on what serves your vision.
Case in Point: Indra Nooyi, former PepsiCo chief, was famous for hearing while making tough decisions. This matrix earned her a lot of respect from team members.
3. Give Constructive Feedback With Caution
Example: “In yesterday’s meeting, I noticed you interrupted a colleague. It impacted the flow of discussion. Let’s work on creating space for others to share.” Empathy ensures feedback is received as a growth opportunity, while authority ensures it’s taken seriously.
Actionable Tactic
Use the “SBI Framework” (Situation-Behaviour-Impact) to deliver feedback constructively.
Example: “In yesterday’s meeting, I noticed you interrupted a colleague. It impacted the flow of discussion. Let’s work on creating space for others to share.”
Iron Lady Says
“Feedback is not criticism—it’s an investment in growth.”
4. Recognise Effort and Enforce Accountability
Empathy rejoices, whereas authority enforces. Together, they build a motivated yet responsible team.
Actionable Tactic
Reward-accountability. Publicly recognize efforts but privately correct lapses.
Pro Tip
Don’t micromanage and focus on results instead of processes.
5. Be Resilient and Compassionate
A leader who becomes vulnerable when necessary yet maintains composure in times of adversity commands respect and trust.
Actionable Tactic
Have shared personal experiences where you demonstrated overcoming obstacles; however, keep the focus on actionable solutions for your team.
Case Study
Jacinda Ardern’s leadership through crises illustrated that vulnerability combined with decisive action can inspire both trust and confidence.
Conclusion
Empathy and authority aren’t opposites—they’re two sides of the same coin. By leading with heart and rigour, you can create a high-performing team that respects your decisions and feels genuinely supported. It’s not about being soft or strong—it’s about being a well-rounded leader. Want to master the art of balanced leadership? Join our Masterclass and learn how to lead with empathy, authority, and impact.
