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The Art of Caring Leadership: How Leading with Heart Uplifts Teams and Organizations
If your people know you care about them, they will move mountains. Employee engagement and loyalty expert Heather Younger outlines nine ways to manifest the radical power of caring support in the workplace.
Heather Younger argues that if you are looking for increased productivity, customer satisfaction, or employee engagement, you need to care for your employees first. People will go the extra mile for leaders who show they are genuinely concerned not just with what employees can do but with who they are and can become. But while most leaders think of themselves as caring leaders, not all demonstrate that care in consistent ways. Your employees will judge you by your actions, not your intentions.
Based on Younger's interviews with over eighty leaders for her podcast Leadership with Heart --including Howard Behar, former president of the Starbucks Coffee Company; Judith Scimone, senior vice president and chief talent officer at MetLife; Garry Ridge, CEO and chairman of the board of the WD-40 Company; and Shawnté Cox Holland, head of culture and engagement at Vanguard--this book outlines nine ways that leaders can make all employees feel included and cared for. She even provides access to a self-assessment so you can measure your progress as a caring leader. But this is not a cookie-cutter just as Monet and Picasso expressed themselves very differently, each leader should express caring in his or her own unique, personal style.
Younger takes an often nebulous, subjective concept and makes it concrete and actionable. Leaders have the power to change the lives of those they lead. They shouldn't just want to care, they should see caring as imperative for the success of their employees and their organization.
Heather Younger argues that if you are looking for increased productivity, customer satisfaction, or employee engagement, you need to care for your employees first. People will go the extra mile for leaders who show they are genuinely concerned not just with what employees can do but with who they are and can become. But while most leaders think of themselves as caring leaders, not all demonstrate that care in consistent ways. Your employees will judge you by your actions, not your intentions.
Based on Younger's interviews with over eighty leaders for her podcast Leadership with Heart --including Howard Behar, former president of the Starbucks Coffee Company; Judith Scimone, senior vice president and chief talent officer at MetLife; Garry Ridge, CEO and chairman of the board of the WD-40 Company; and Shawnté Cox Holland, head of culture and engagement at Vanguard--this book outlines nine ways that leaders can make all employees feel included and cared for. She even provides access to a self-assessment so you can measure your progress as a caring leader. But this is not a cookie-cutter just as Monet and Picasso expressed themselves very differently, each leader should express caring in his or her own unique, personal style.
Younger takes an often nebulous, subjective concept and makes it concrete and actionable. Leaders have the power to change the lives of those they lead. They shouldn't just want to care, they should see caring as imperative for the success of their employees and their organization.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 13, 2021
48 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 4, 2022
Basic message and premise…People want to be led by people who care about them. Nothing shocking going on here, unfortunately for the people in leadership positions who really need to hear this message and learn a few tactics, I suspect it won’t get picked up. Why? Because they don’t care.
November 23, 2022
I liked the framework of caring leadership concept. It was well defined and useful. The only thing I lacked was scientific arguments that would backed up the framework. Now, this is based on personal experience and other people’s stories. This would be much more persuasive if the arguments were stronger.
July 9, 2025
It’s abundantly clear to me that this book was only written to sell the author’s $150 self assessment quiz that she advertises over & over again throughout 155 short pages.
This book is filled with common sense you can find on Google in 30 seconds if you didn’t know how to care about other people; it doesn’t go deep or wide at all, no depth or breadth here. The chapters (all 10 of them) are filled with generic advice like “listen” and “find positive things about your employee”. I don’t feel it helped me be a better leader at work or a better manager at all.
This book is filled with common sense you can find on Google in 30 seconds if you didn’t know how to care about other people; it doesn’t go deep or wide at all, no depth or breadth here. The chapters (all 10 of them) are filled with generic advice like “listen” and “find positive things about your employee”. I don’t feel it helped me be a better leader at work or a better manager at all.
October 20, 2022
Let's hope your manager reads this book.
"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year."
- John Foster Dulles
This book at times brings the feeling of how we have a class of superhumans called managers that sometimes need to descend upon earth, down to the peon level and get involved in the trenches. This further brings visions of a pointy-haired boss who has no idea what is going on, but comes to micro-manage the plebs.
It's a classic "american" business book, where there's always an anonymous Steve or Alex that had a problem, but then he committed to reassessing or doing some crunches and now everybody is awesomely successful around Jennifer or John!
There's a lot of "common sense" advice, but it might be helpful to go through these things that hopefully already happen in your workplace.
Basically people want to be lead by people who also care about them. Trust and nurture, have 1on1's. Default to believe positive intent. Allow others shoulder the burden. You can always do things alone, but being a leader involves letting go and allowing a team to apply their talents for exponential impact.
People don't answer feedback and surveys because they don't know what happens afterwards and that anybody heard their feedback in the first place.
Provide a psychologically safe space for inclusion and truth. Invite to speak, make them understand their opinion matters. Don't say "just" your opinion. "Just" is belittling, every opinion matters. Tell people you're going to be wrong and you expect everybody to tell me when that happens and how we can make it better.
These kinds of things are always easier said than done. So, good luck.
"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year."
- John Foster Dulles
This book at times brings the feeling of how we have a class of superhumans called managers that sometimes need to descend upon earth, down to the peon level and get involved in the trenches. This further brings visions of a pointy-haired boss who has no idea what is going on, but comes to micro-manage the plebs.
It's a classic "american" business book, where there's always an anonymous Steve or Alex that had a problem, but then he committed to reassessing or doing some crunches and now everybody is awesomely successful around Jennifer or John!
There's a lot of "common sense" advice, but it might be helpful to go through these things that hopefully already happen in your workplace.
Basically people want to be lead by people who also care about them. Trust and nurture, have 1on1's. Default to believe positive intent. Allow others shoulder the burden. You can always do things alone, but being a leader involves letting go and allowing a team to apply their talents for exponential impact.
People don't answer feedback and surveys because they don't know what happens afterwards and that anybody heard their feedback in the first place.
Provide a psychologically safe space for inclusion and truth. Invite to speak, make them understand their opinion matters. Don't say "just" your opinion. "Just" is belittling, every opinion matters. Tell people you're going to be wrong and you expect everybody to tell me when that happens and how we can make it better.
These kinds of things are always easier said than done. So, good luck.
April 8, 2024
No new ideas here. Care for your team. Some things I was surprised to see in such a recently published book (e.g., we shouldn’t be calling people we work with our “tribe!” yikes!)
April 13, 2021
This latest book by Caring Leader Heather Younger really is a masterpiece for our times.
In a world that can be deemed to be in chaos as the pace of work continues to increase as we focus on digitization, increasingly dispersed teams post-pandemic and an increasing drive for more equity and meaning from work, Heather's book offers highly agile, life-giving insight to help you amp up your caring leadership.
Flowing through 9 connected yet easily digestible each in their own right chapters, Heather builds a narrative grounded in experiential learning and case studies that will support you stepping into higher levels of self-leadership, help you create safe spaces for yourself and those around you, help you develop your deep listening skills, involve others and so much more.
In fact I would go further and say whilst this is critical reading for those lead others in their care as well as themselves, Heather's work also offers a signpost towards healthier, future-proofed organisational design.
The future of work is humane and inclusive and Heather offers actionable insight to help you step increasingly into that and she also offers a Caring Leadership Community for you to bring your own learning journey to life.
An easy 5* for me.
In a world that can be deemed to be in chaos as the pace of work continues to increase as we focus on digitization, increasingly dispersed teams post-pandemic and an increasing drive for more equity and meaning from work, Heather's book offers highly agile, life-giving insight to help you amp up your caring leadership.
Flowing through 9 connected yet easily digestible each in their own right chapters, Heather builds a narrative grounded in experiential learning and case studies that will support you stepping into higher levels of self-leadership, help you create safe spaces for yourself and those around you, help you develop your deep listening skills, involve others and so much more.
In fact I would go further and say whilst this is critical reading for those lead others in their care as well as themselves, Heather's work also offers a signpost towards healthier, future-proofed organisational design.
The future of work is humane and inclusive and Heather offers actionable insight to help you step increasingly into that and she also offers a Caring Leadership Community for you to bring your own learning journey to life.
An easy 5* for me.
June 7, 2021
The theme of the book is plain and honest: the more leaders exhibit care for those they lead, the more individuals who follow them will feel that care and go above and beyond out of loyalty and genuine appreciation for the benefit of that leader, the team, and the company. Leaders who care about their followers have a compelling motivation to pursue effective leadership. People who read this book will increase their emotional intelligence, become more aware of themselves and others, and see the positive power they have to transform the experience of those they lead just by demonstrating that they care. Every leader who values ethical leadership should learn and practice the art of caring leadership. This book is intended for managers, anybody who considers themselves a leader, those who coach and consult with managers and leaders, anybody who may teach managers and leaders, and everyone who wishes to learn how to demonstrate caring more frequently.
October 29, 2022
At first I found this book a slight snore- often thinking “duh- who doesn’t know this”. But it quickly dawned on me that it didn’t seem like rockets science because it’s how I try to lead. Yet, these are revolutionary concepts for most workplaces. I firmly believe that most (not all) people are the best they can in the workplace when there is space to bring their full, authentic selves. The fake lines of “work” and “personal” don’t exist for many people and forcing them so seems unnatural. Overall, I recommend reading it-it’s short- and seeing how it jives with your needs as a worker and leader.
March 29, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
In a world where the cacophony of voices often drowns out the delicate symphony of understanding, Heather R. Younger's "The Art of Active Listening" emerges as a beacon of resonance. With the precision of a master conductor, Younger orchestrates a harmonious blend of wisdom, research, and practical insights, inviting readers to attune their ears to the subtle melodies of human connection.
Like a seasoned detective, Younger encourages us to listen not only to the spoken words but also to the silences—the pauses pregnant with unspoken emotions. In these gaps lie the keys to unlocking empathy and building bridges.
In a world where the cacophony of voices often drowns out the delicate symphony of understanding, Heather R. Younger's "The Art of Active Listening" emerges as a beacon of resonance. With the precision of a master conductor, Younger orchestrates a harmonious blend of wisdom, research, and practical insights, inviting readers to attune their ears to the subtle melodies of human connection.
Like a seasoned detective, Younger encourages us to listen not only to the spoken words but also to the silences—the pauses pregnant with unspoken emotions. In these gaps lie the keys to unlocking empathy and building bridges.
April 13, 2021
Sure, you're probably a caring leader and your employees all know you want what's best for them, right?
Most managers believe their employees think they're good bosses, and most employees report the opposite is true. If you want a productive, effective, innovative team, you must care about each member and make sure they know you care about them.
This book gives me hope. The big takeaway for me is that you can be a caring leader even if you’re not a touchy-feely person. You can demonstrate care in many different ways - your ways - as long as you understand your employee’s needs.
Most managers believe their employees think they're good bosses, and most employees report the opposite is true. If you want a productive, effective, innovative team, you must care about each member and make sure they know you care about them.
This book gives me hope. The big takeaway for me is that you can be a caring leader even if you’re not a touchy-feely person. You can demonstrate care in many different ways - your ways - as long as you understand your employee’s needs.
December 17, 2021
Top 9
- Lead yourself first
- Make others feel significant
- Encourage others outstanding capabilities
- Share your challenges
- Take a holistic view and address the issues your people face
- Listen to feedback and learn how to improve others working conditions
- Create a psychologically safe space for others
- Don't micromanage; share decision-making authority
- Help others bounce back quickly from setbacks
- Lead yourself first
- Make others feel significant
- Encourage others outstanding capabilities
- Share your challenges
- Take a holistic view and address the issues your people face
- Listen to feedback and learn how to improve others working conditions
- Create a psychologically safe space for others
- Don't micromanage; share decision-making authority
- Help others bounce back quickly from setbacks
October 24, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley, publishers, and Heather R. Young for gifting me a copy of The Art of Caring Leadership in return for my honest review.
3/5 stars
While this book offers an excellent framework for leadership and being a strong leader, most of the information is common sense. If you have never been in a leadership role, this does offer a wonderful starting point. If you have held a leadership role for a while and are successful with your leadership, this might be one that you skip.
3/5 stars
While this book offers an excellent framework for leadership and being a strong leader, most of the information is common sense. If you have never been in a leadership role, this does offer a wonderful starting point. If you have held a leadership role for a while and are successful with your leadership, this might be one that you skip.
August 7, 2021
Straightforward Leadership Goodness
The numbers are in. High-trust companies outperform low or no-trust organizations exponentially. Caring leadership is one of the key ingredients to a high-trust organizational culture. Heather does an incredible job detailing in clear, concise, and plain language, exactly what a caring leader looks like in the modern workplace.
The numbers are in. High-trust companies outperform low or no-trust organizations exponentially. Caring leadership is one of the key ingredients to a high-trust organizational culture. Heather does an incredible job detailing in clear, concise, and plain language, exactly what a caring leader looks like in the modern workplace.
January 19, 2022
I hope many people read this book so that we see
more Caring and Kindness from Leadership.
Help Them Find Courage.
Being There for One Another
A Team of Supporters. It Takes a Village. A Co-Dependency With Each Other.
Work through those things together. Building Trust Inside the Team.
Access the Teams Power to Help One Another Overcome Challenges.
To Uplift the Team and the Organization.
more Caring and Kindness from Leadership.
Help Them Find Courage.
Being There for One Another
A Team of Supporters. It Takes a Village. A Co-Dependency With Each Other.
Work through those things together. Building Trust Inside the Team.
Access the Teams Power to Help One Another Overcome Challenges.
To Uplift the Team and the Organization.
December 10, 2023
If you have done any psychology, counselling, or Covey training, skip this one. It has introductory-level content for listening and far too much of the book is spent on anecdotes. There is nothing wrong with the content, the writing is easy to read but overall far too light for me. It feels like to back cover was an oversell for me.
December 10, 2021
ابحث عن المدير يرى أخطائك ولا يزال يثق بك
ابحث عن فريق يرى عيوبك ولا يزال ينتمي إليك
ابحث عن صديق يرى مشاكلك ولا يزال يدعمك
ابحث عن شريك.. يرى أسوأ ما فيك ولا يزال يدعمك
نحتاج جميعًا إلى أبطال مجهولين الذين أزالوا العقبات وخلقوا الفرص!
ابحث عن فريق يرى عيوبك ولا يزال ينتمي إليك
ابحث عن صديق يرى مشاكلك ولا يزال يدعمك
ابحث عن شريك.. يرى أسوأ ما فيك ولا يزال يدعمك
نحتاج جميعًا إلى أبطال مجهولين الذين أزالوا العقبات وخلقوا الفرص!
December 29, 2024
Heather’s framework is very easy to follow. Anyone could start working with it right away. For those who’ve been leaders for a long time, it is a good refresher or eye-opener to things that could help improve their practice. It’s a fantastic primer for new or aspiring leaders.
February 8, 2023
If in leadership this is an excellent book to read and keep on hand.
March 24, 2023
Younger posits why "care" as a tenet and pragmatic application should be the overarching force and narrative that drives leadership in today's historical moment.
December 11, 2023
A rather short book, but talks about an essential point of leadership inside of teams with lots of useful examples.
August 20, 2024
I found this good but simplistic. Definitely lends a good outline to people managing
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews