Being a Caring Leader

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Do you care about the people you lead? If you do, how do they know? Do you want to be known as a leader who cares for those you lead? Is caring for those you lead important to you? Unfortunately, for some leaders, it is not important to them that they care for all of their people. Some leaders fail to understand that they are leading people, not results or outcomes. I am reminded of a quote that Dr. Funchess, one of the great leaders I know, has said many times: “We lead people, not outcomes.” And guess what, people know if they are cared for or not.

Is there a secret to caring for your people? If there is a secret, it comes down to one word. Action. Heather Younger, in her TED Talk The Radical Power of Caring Leadership, said that “Caring leadership is only possible with action.” She later states, "Caring leadership is showing concern and kindness to those who look to you for guidance." Do you demonstrate actions of concern and kindness to those you lead? If you do, those you lead might consider you as being a caring leader. Showing genuine concern and kindness is not a weakness. It is rather a strength. People can still be held accountable (your children, teammates, coworkers, business partners, etc.), and cuts can still be made in the organization, which we all know affects people's jobs, while concern and kindness are still being displayed by the leader. It's about treating people like human beings and not just a number or a commodity. It's about the leader considering how they would want to be treated if they were on the receiving end. Everyone has been on the receiving end at some point because we are all accountable to someone. Take those moments when you have been on the receiving end to guide your leadership as you care for others who need you to display concern and kindness.

According to John Maxwell, "Leadership is influence." But, how can we influence well without caring for those we lead? The answer to this is quite simple. We can't. I will share an excerpt from The Way of the Shepherd (2004) by Dr. Kevin Leman and Bill Pentak. The subtitle is Seven Secrets to Managing Productive People. I have read this book a couple of times and am reading it again with my pastor, who is one of my mentors. Dr. Newman, one of the characters in the book, says to his mentee, Ted McBride, "You have to really care about your people. You can go through all the right mechanics, but if you don't genuinely care about the people who report to you, you'll never be the kind of leader they'll drop everything to follow. If they're nothing but stinking sheep to you, they'll never do their best work for you and they won't stay in your field for long. It’s an old adage, but it’s true: people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care." We should not view the people we lead as a problem or an inconvenience to us, the company, team, or our family. They are more than that, and we should treat them as such. And when we treat them as being important and relevant, when we value them by caring for them and treating them as human beings, we and our organizations, teams, families, and communities get so much more from them because they know that their leader(s) care.  

Application:

1. Engage with the People You Lead: Intentionally engage with the people you lead. Approach them, talk to them, and listen to what they say. People will talk to you if you let them, and when they talk, make sure you hear what they are saying. Taking time to listen to the heart of someone you are leading could help them move forward or get the support they need to be effective. Listening prompts other actions from you that demonstrate to the person whether you care about them and the concern that they have shared. Scheduling time to actively engage with those you lead will allow you to demonstrate that they are a priority to you and that their concerns matter. This small act can go a long way, and if you work in an office, you can find out what is going on with the people you are leading before they just show up at your office. Let’s not forget to practice these principles at home with our families. Sometimes, our family members get the short end of the stick because many of us want to relax when we get home. Our families need to know we care just as much, maybe even more than those we lead outside of our homes. We must talk to them and listen to them. Then we can act, which is up next on this list.  
2. Act: As we engage, talk, and listen, something will be revealed to us that we can demonstrate to the person that we care. Whatever action is needed to show care, do it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and that is alright. Each act of kindness is case by case, but every act should come out of a place of concern and kindness to demonstrate and communicate that you care.
3. Be Genuine: Whether you are hiring someone, coaching someone, or having a crucial conversation, be genuine in how you care for the individual in each situation. Maya Angelou said. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." When we are genuinely concerned and speak and act with kindness, it increases the possibility that the people we lead will feel cared for.

Conclusion:

Our actions will communicate whether we care for the people we lead or not. I hope you desire to lead with care. My goal is to be genuine and authentic in my leadership so that others will not have to question if I  care about them or not. As Dr. Newman stated to Ted McBride in The Way of the Shepherd (2004), "...if you don't genuinely care about the people who report to you, you'll never be the kind of leader they'll drop everything to follow.” Remember, caring for those we lead really matters because it is with the people we lead that we accomplish great things. More than likely, you have followed someone because they cared for you. I know I have and still do. So, let's commit to following the example(s) that we have been shown and care for those we lead, including those in our own home. 

Additional Comments:

I want to hear from you. Please post your comments, feedback, or suggestions in the comments section on this page. Thank you for reading or listening to this blog post. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed month ahead. Stay tuned for the next blog, scheduled to be posted during the week of March 2, 2026.