THE ROLE OF LEADER EMPATHY IN ENCOURAGING OPEN COMMUNICATION
Keywords:
BEM, communication openness, empathy, leadership, MedanAbstract
An invitation to speak does not necessarily make organizational members comfortable expressing their concerns. Leaders’ responses may influence whether members expect understanding, dismissal, or interpersonal consequences. This conceptual article examines the role of leader empathy in encouraging open communication among members of Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa (BEM) in Medan, using 2018 as its temporal frame. A narrative literature review integrates scholarship on empathy, listening, psychological safety, organizational voice, trust, and privacy. The synthesis proposes that perspective-taking and concern for others can inform how leaders invite contributions, clarify meanings, respond to criticism, and explain decisions. However, empathy should not be equated with agreement, unrestricted disclosure, or the acceptance of every request. Communication openness also depends on organizational arrangements and the consistent handling of members’ contributions. Implications include structured opportunities to speak, attentive listening, transparent follow-up, and leadership development supported by contextual evaluation. These are conceptual considerations rather than tested practices. The article concludes that empathy offers a useful framework for discussing leadership communication, while actual relationships among empathy, openness, and participation within BEM in Medan require empirical investigation.
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Copyright (c) 2019 Farida Hanum Siregar
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