Care Deeply
Why empathy and accountability go hand-in-hand
This is the final part of a short series that began with a spontaneous phrase I shared during a podcast recording:
“Lead with purpose. Act with integrity. Care deeply.”
So far, I’ve explored how purpose provides direction, and how integrity builds trust. Now we come to care – a principle that is often misunderstood or undervalued in leadership.
Because care isn’t a soft extra. Care is what makes leadership human. And it's what turns strategy into something people want to be part of.
The power of care in leadership
Care might sound gentle…a soft skill, but in reality, it’s one of the most powerful forces a leader can model.
To care deeply is to:
Take time to build understanding and empathy, including the pressures people are under.
Design experiences that show respect for those delivering and receiving change.
Lead with awareness of the emotional, cultural, and relational impact of decisions.
Caring doesn’t mean avoiding tough calls, instead it means making those tough calls while staying conscious of the people they affect.
Culture is built in the way we treat people
During transformation, restructure, or high-pressure delivery cycles, the human dimension can often fade into the background. The metrics take centre stage, and emotions get labelled as noise.
But in every successful transformation I’ve seen, one thing holds true: People don’t resist change, they resist feeling unseen, unheard, or undervalued.
When leaders genuinely care, it shows up in how they communicate, how they listen, and how they involve others in shaping the journey.
Care is culture in action. And culture is what sustains progress long after the initial change effort is over.
Moments that matter
One of the most powerful ways I’ve seen care expressed is through attention to moments that matter – the small, symbolic interactions that shape how people feel.
These moments don’t require big budgets or long timelines, they just need genuine intention.
A conversation that acknowledges effort, not just outcomes.
A welcome that feels warm, not just procedural.
A team meeting where people feel safe to ask hard questions or challenge the leader.
It’s in these moments that care becomes visible, and trust grows stronger.
Care doesn’t mean compromise
It’s worth adding that caring deeply doesn’t mean lowering expectations. In fact, the most caring leaders often have the highest standards.
Why? Because they believe in the people they lead. They take the time to understand them, and they hold them to account in ways that are respectful, clear, and fair.
Care and accountability are not opposites, but equal partners. One without the other leads to fragility or fear. Together, they build commitment.
How to lead with care
Leading with care doesn’t require a new job title. It requires a mindset shift – one that prioritises relationships as well as results.
Here are a few questions that help guide me:
What signals of care are we intentionally creating - for customers and colleagues?
How are we showing respect during hard conversations?
Are we designing systems that serve people, or expecting people to serve systems?
How do our leadership behaviours make others feel?
Care is often felt more than seen, but when it’s missing, people feel its absence the most.
Bringing it all together
Throughout this series, I’ve reflected on three leadership principles that I believe matter more than ever:
Lead with purpose. Act with integrity. Care deeply.
Each on its own is powerful, but together, they form a foundation for leadership that’s clear, trusted, and human.
In a world where complexity is rising, connection is everything. And connection starts with care.
Final Thought
Care isn’t a leadership style, but a commitment – to lead in a way that respects people, even when under pressure.
To create environments where others can thrive, and to remember that behind every strategy are humans, trying to do meaningful work.
