Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Responder’s Empathetic Healer

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
In Command of Guardians: Executive Servant Leadership for the Community of Responders

  • 366 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter discusses the role of the emergency services leader as being an empathetic healer to the community of responders. The empathetic healer is one who willingly binds the wounds of his or her followers. The leader’s empathy allows them to see their people as people, to not miss the human. The empathetic healer humbly approaches followers, is keenly aware of their needs, desires to know their pain, and sees their role as one that brings the guardians back to the fight. Empathy is a leader’s humility; it is their ability to set aside rank and position in moments when it is more important to stand beside one’s followers rather than above.

I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.

—Maya Angelou

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 29.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 37.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Burch, G. F., Bennett, A. A., Humphrey, R. H., Batchelor, J. H., & Cairo, A. H. (2016). Unraveling the complexities of empathy research: A multi-level model of empathy in organizations. Emotions and Organizational Governance, 12, 169–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H. (1994). Empathy: A social psychological approach. Winter Park: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishkin, G. (1990). Firefighter and paramedic burnout. Los Angeles: Legal Books Distributing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, D. (2011). Greenleaf and servant-leader listening. Westfield: Greenleaf Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gearhart, C. C., & Bodie, G. D. (2011). Active-empathic listening as a general social skill: Evidence from bivariate and canonical correlations. Communication Reports, 24(2), 86–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenleaf, R. (1977/2002). Servant-leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Mahwah: Paulist Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, R. (2015). The influence of leader emotional intelligence on employees’ job satisfaction: A meta-analysis. In International Leadership Association 17th Annual Global Conference.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, R. L. (1963). Empathy: Its nature and uses. London: Free Press of Glencoe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, K. J., Boer, D., Keller, J. W., & Voelpel, S. (2015). Is my boss really listening to me? The impact of perceived supervisor listening on emotional exhaustion, turnover intention, and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 130(3), 509–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mortier, A. V., Vlerick, P., & Clays, E. (2015). Authentic leadership and thriving among nurses: The mediating role of empathy. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(3), 357–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, S. (2000). Empathic listening: Reports on the experience of being heard. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 40(2), 148–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norman, Z. (2016). Discovering my human nature as a servant leader. Available at SSRN 2773122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paton, D. (2005). Posttraumatic growth in protective services professional: Individual, cognitive and organizational influences. Traumatology, 11, 335–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paton, D., Violanti, J., Dunning, C., & Smith, L. M. (2004). Managing traumatic stress risk: A proactive approach. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, K. (2003). Servant leadership: A theoretical model (Doctoral Dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Database (UMI No. 3082719).

    Google Scholar 

  • Perez, L. M., Jones, J., Englert, D. R., & Sachau, D. (2010). Secondary traumatic stress and burnout among law enforcement investigators exposed to disturbing media images. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 25(2), 113–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reinke, S. J. (2004). Service before self: Towards a theory of servant-leadership. Global Virtue Ethics Review, 5(3), 30–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, E. (2014). The desire to serve: Servant leadership for fire and emergency services. Westfield: Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, E., Broomé, R., & Prince, R. (2015). Discovering the servant in fire and emergency services leaders. Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice, 2(2), 57–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheehan, D. C., & Van Hasselt, V. B. (2003). Identifying law enforcement stress reactions early. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 72(9), 12–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sipe, J., & Frick, D. (2009). Seven pillars of servant leadership: Practicing the wisdom of leading by serving. Mahwah: Paulist Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, C., & Spurgeon, P. (2005). Valuing empathy and emotional intelligence in health leadership: A study of empathy, leadership behavior and outcome effectiveness. Health Services Management Research, 18(1), 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spears, L. C. (2004). Practicing servant-leadership. Leader to Leader, 2004(34), 7–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spears, L. (2010). Servant leadership and Robert K. Greenleaf’s legacy. In K. Patterson & D. van Dierendonck (Eds.), Servant leadership: Developments in theory and research (pp. 11–24). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Spears, L., & Lawrence, M. (2004). Practicing servant-leadership: Succeeding through trust, bravery, and forgiveness (pp. 7–11). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, P. (2012). When serving becomes surviving: PTSD and suicide in the fire service. Retrieved from http://sweeneyalliance.org.

  • Thomas, C. (2016). Responder welfare. Crisis Response Journal, 4(11), 58–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Undung, Y., & de Guzman, A. (2009). Understanding the elements of empathy as a component of care-driven leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 3(1), 19–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, K. L. (1997). Do you ever listen: Discovering the theoretical underpinnings of empathic listening. International Journal of Listening, 11(1), 127–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, S. (2015). Leading from within: A modern view on leadership. Griffin Leadership, 31–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yancer, D. A. (2012). Betrayed trust: Healing a broken hospital through servant leadership. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 36(1), 63–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Services, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, USA

    Eric J. Russell

Authors
  1. Eric J. Russell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Russell, E.J. (2019). The Responder’s Empathetic Healer. In: In Command of Guardians: Executive Servant Leadership for the Community of Responders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12493-9_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation