By Mvuyo Tyobeka, SPM of CEO
Leaders make decisions every day that shape the work and lives of the people they lead. The effectiveness of those decisions depends not on reports or dashboards, but on understanding what it feels like to be in someone else’s role, facing the pressures, challenges, and choices that define their day.
Walking in your team’s shoes requires presence and attention. It is about seeing beyond the tasks, noticing the conditions in which work is carried out, and recognising both effort and obstacles that are invisible from the office. Leaders who do this gain insight into the realities that drive performance and morale. They learn where support is needed, where processes can be improved, and how to distribute responsibility in a way that empowers the team rather than overburdening individuals.
During a recent site visit near Kathu in the Northern Cape, these lessons became tangible. Observing the team in action, I saw the meticulous care they put into every task, the pride in their work, and the collaboration that kept complex projects moving. I noticed the demands placed on a few individuals carrying critical responsibilities, the physical strain of working in extreme heat, and the ingenuity with which they adapted to challenges. Being there provided clarity that no report could convey: leadership decisions have a direct impact on people’s day-to-day experiences, and understanding those realities is essential.
Empathy in leadership is not a soft skill; it is a strategic tool. Understanding the pace of work, the complexity of decisions, and the physical and mental demands on a team informs more effective planning, better resourcing, and safer, more efficient operations. It allows leaders to anticipate challenges before they escalate, to make interventions that enhance productivity, and to design environments where people can thrive.
Observing work firsthand also surfaces innovation. Solutions often emerge from those closest to the task. When leaders are present, they can recognise initiative, encourage experimentation, and support ideas that improve outcomes. Technology, process improvements, and new approaches gain traction when they are grounded in the realities of daily work.
Leadership that walks the ground strengthens culture. It communicates respect for people’s expertise, builds trust, and signals that leadership is accountable to the team as well as the other way around. It transforms abstract expectations into concrete understanding. It makes a leader’s guidance credible because it reflects lived experience rather than assumption.
The lesson is simple: the distance between strategy and execution narrows when leaders immerse themselves in the environments where work happens. When we see what our teams see, feel what they feel, and understand the pressures they navigate, we lead with clarity and conviction. Leadership is amplified when it is informed by the perspectives of those doing the work.
The measure of a leader is not in the decisions made in isolation, but in the understanding behind them. Walking a mile in your people’s shoes turns empathy into insight, insight into action, and action into results. It is a path that strengthens organisations, energises teams, and defines leadership that matters.