Caring for team members

The commitment to understanding, supporting, and valuing the individuals you lead. Not just as employees, but as people. It involves a range of facets, including: active listening, empathy, fairness, and a genuine curiosity about their needs, motivations, and well-being.

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” Simon Sinek

Why caring for team members matter

Caring for team members matters because it directly influences engagement, trust, and performance across the organisation. Leaders who show genuine concern for their people create conditions where employees feel valued, understood, and supported. This fosters loyalty, encourages discretionary effort, and strengthens collaboration, enabling teams to respond effectively to complex and fast-changing challenges.

Without visible care, teams can become disengaged, transactional, and hesitant to speak up or share ideas. Leaders who prioritise well-being build resilience, psychological safety, and adaptability, enabling employees to navigate uncertainty. Demonstrating care consistently enhances credibility, reinforces ethical leadership, and amplifies the positive impact leaders have on both people and organisational outcomes.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” — Ronald Reagan

What good and bad looks like in caring for team members

What bad looks like	What good looks like
Treats employees as interchangeable resources, focusing only on outputs and deadlines. Rarely acknowledges personal circumstances or individual contributions.	Recognises each team member as a unique individual, showing interest in their personal and professional development. Balances attention to results with care for people’s needs and aspirations.
Listens superficially, often interrupting or jumping to solutions before fully understanding concerns.	Demonstrates active listening by giving full attention, summarising what is heard, and asking clarifying questions to show understanding and encourage openness.
Maintains emotional distance and avoids conversations about personal issues, believing such engagement is inappropriate.	Builds rapport through appropriate personal disclosure and empathy, creating an environment where team members feel safe sharing challenges and seeking guidance.
Applies rules and expectations rigidly, ignoring individual circumstances.	Treats team members fairly by adapting approaches to individual needs while maintaining consistent standards, ensuring equitable outcomes across the team.
Shows concern only when problems escalate or performance suffers, leading to reactive support.	Proactively checks in with employees, identifying early signs of stress or challenges and offering support before issues become critical.
Communicates inconsistently or fails to share relevant information, leaving employees feeling excluded.	Shares context, decisions, and rationale openly, fostering trust and making team members feel informed, involved, and valued.
Prioritises tasks over people, focusing on deadlines and targets at the expense of wellbeing.	Balances performance expectations with care for team wellbeing, recognising that sustainable results require attention to both people and objectives.
Responds mechanically to requests for support or guidance, offering minimal engagement.	Engages meaningfully, demonstrating curiosity, empathy, and practical support tailored to each team member’s situation and motivations.

“People want to be led by leaders who care, who understand, and who act with empathy.” — Brene Brown

Barriers for caring for team members

Separation of work and personal life: Leaders might believe that work and personal lives should remain distinct, hindering their ability to engage personally with their direct reports.

Prioritisation of tasks over people: Some leaders care more about tasks, goals, or other aspects of the job rather than the people they lead.

Fear of exploitation: Leaders might worry that showing care will lead to their direct reports taking advantage of their kindness.

Avoidance of counselling conversations: There is often a fear among leaders of being expected to handle personal issues of their direct reports, which can lead them to avoid showing care.

Other priorities: Caring for direct reports may be seen as a low-priority activity compared to other leadership responsibilities.

Poor listening skills: Leaders who are poor listeners may struggle to understand the personal needs and concerns of their direct reports.

Overload: A busy schedule can prevent leaders from dedicating time to know and care for their direct reports.

Lack of interest in team member needs: Leaders who do not care much about the personal needs of their direct reports are less likely to engage with them on a personal level.

Task focused: Delivery focused Leaders who are more focused on tasks and work outputs may neglect the interpersonal aspects of leadership.

Personal style: Leaders who are very tense and impersonal may create a distant relationship with their direct reports, making it difficult to show care.

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Enablers of caring for team members

Know your team: Learn about your employees’ personal interests and hobbies. Knowing a few non-work-related facts about each team member helps build rapport and strengthens relationships.

Be present: Listen without immediate judgment or offering solutions. Show understanding by summarising what was said. This encourages open communication and makes employees feel heard and respected.

Know the individuals: Study your team members to understand their motivations and behaviours. Predict their actions in different situations to relate to them better. This knowledge helps in addressing their unique needs and concerns.

Raise your curiosity: Ask more open-ended and thought-provoking questions. Show genuine interest in your employees’ ideas and perspectives, encouraging them to think critically and share their insights.

Be fair: Recognise and respect individual differences. Treat each team member according to their unique needs and preferences, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

Be concerned: Offer help without overstepping into personal counselling. Manage common issues like chronic complaining or anger by setting boundaries and providing constructive feedback. Focus on helping employees improve and find solutions.

Show that you care: Be mindful of the messages you send through your words and actions. Ensure your communication does not unintentionally imply that you do not value your team. Consistently show that you care about their work and well-being.

Listen better: Be psychologically present in all conversations. Allow others to finish their thoughts without interruption. Demonstrate patience by not cutting people off or completing their sentences.

Raise your disclosure: Communicate openly about business issues and share useful information. Invite input from your team and disclose personal insights and decision-making processes. This transparency helps build trust and makes employees feel valued.

Reflect on leadership: Analyse the behaviours of your previous bosses to identify what actions showed care or lack of it. Use this reflection to improve your own management style and become more attentive and supportive.

“Fairness is not about treating everyone the same. It is about treating people in such a way that the outcome for each person can be the same.” Dr. Jody Carrington 

Caring for team members reflection questions

Do you know at least three non-work-related facts about each of your direct reports? Could you find common ground to build stronger relationships?

When an employee shares a concern, do you listen without judging? Could you summarise their points to show understanding before offering advice?

Have you taken time to study what drives each of your direct reports? Could you predict how they might react in certain situations and use this to better support them?

How often do you ask open-ended questions that encourage your team to think critically? Could you incorporate more “what if” and “what would you change” questions into your discussions?

Are you treating each team member according to their unique needs and preferences? Could you provide an example of how you’ve adjusted your approach for different individuals?

Could you describe a recent conversation where you actively listened without interrupting? How did your employee respond?

How often do you share your thoughts and decision-making processes with your team? Could you think of an example where sharing this information improved team dynamics?

When an employee brings personal problems to you, how do you balance offering support without becoming a therapist? Could you set clear boundaries while still showing concern?

Do your words and actions consistently show that you care about your team’s well-being? Could you identify any habits that might unintentionally signal otherwise?

Reflecting on past bosses, what behaviours made you feel cared for or uncared for? Could you use these insights to improve your own leadership style?

“The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer.” – Henry David Thoreau

Micro practices in caring for team members

1. Conduct purposeful one-to-ones: Dedicate regular time to meet individually with each team member. Prepare by noting recent achievements, challenges, and personal milestones. Use the conversation to listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, and demonstrate support tailored to their needs and goals.

2. Use active listening cues: During discussions, maintain eye contact, avoid interruptions, and summarise key points to show understanding. Respond with clarifying or reflective questions, demonstrating that you value the speaker’s perspective and creating space for candid communication.

3. Balance care with accountability: Address performance and wellbeing in tandem. Offer guidance, encouragement, and support for challenges while maintaining clear expectations. This reinforces trust, respect, and a culture where people feel supported without compromising organisational standards.

4. Celebrate individual contributions: Recognise and acknowledge both professional achievements and personal growth. Tailor recognition to what matters to each person, whether through private feedback, public acknowledgement, or small gestures that demonstrate attentiveness and appreciation.

5. Share relevant insights and context: Keep the team informed by sharing business decisions, strategic updates, and reasoning behind changes. Open disclosure builds trust, reinforces inclusivity, and helps team members understand how their work aligns with organisational goals

“People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou