As CEO and founder of five successful companies, Dr. Ryan Centers has grown from humble beginnings into a $25 million enterprise, including two nonprofit organizations, with more than 500 employees. Beyond his business acumen, he is a performance psychologist, leadership expert, and devoted foster father of eleven.
Commitment of senders for SENSITIVE-Directed leadership extends to his non-profit work and his podcast, “Release your intention“, where he inspires others to build businesses that are both impactful and profitable. We asked Senters to tell us a little about where—and how—empathy fits into his extraordinary journey of entrepreneurial success.
What role does empathy play in entrepreneurial success and how can you cultivate this quality?
As a young leader, I worked for a boss who didn't even know I had adopted our son. He never asked. I barely saw him. He never told me I was doing a good job. I would only see it if I did something wrong. I was miserable. I vowed never to be like that the type of leader. Every person needs appreciation. Think of love language at work as “words of affirmation.”
A third of a person's life is at work, they need feedback and to know that the person they work for cares. Being one leader it is not to be “in charge” but to take care of those “in your charge”.
Many believe that empathy and benefit are at odds. As a business leader, how do you reconcile the two?
The goal of a business leader is to add value. It can be with a product or service, but the focus is on give value to the customer. If you lead first by adding value, the market will distribute the profit as a reward.
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How do you integrate empathy into your leadership style while ensuring your companies remain profitable and competitive?
The key way to integrate empathy into your organization as a leader is to take care of those under your care. Old school, traditional leadership is about assuming a certain rank or position of power. However, true leadership it is to be someone who is there to serve. The only type of leadership is servant leadership. Leaders are called to serve and support those in their care.
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Can you share an example of a business decision you made that was heavily influenced by empathy and what the outcome was?
We have recently created a staff CARE fund where employees can contact someone in the team when they are going through some personal issues. We've used these funds to help pay for a person's post-divorce counseling sessions, provide support through cancer treatment, and even hosted a few baby showers.
The best part is that she has developed one culture of care throughout the company. The staff even helped a co-worker adopt their first child. We are learning that empathy and a culture of caring are contagious. You just have to start.
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As a foster father, what lessons about empathy and resilience have you learned from your children that you apply to your business practices?
As a foster parent, I have learned the need to give all my children who come into my home “second chances.” I'm a big believer that kids need a chance for an “end”. When children meet an adult for the first time, many times they avoid eye contact and try to ignore them. However, I prepare children to meet an adult and make eye contact and shake their hand. This is a lost life skill these days. My 13 year old son has a little anxiety and tries to do it every time. However, when we have a family friend at home if my son doesn't shake their hand or greet them, I'll call a do-over. I will let my friend know my son and I are practicing the greeting and don't bother us as we will try again.
Our teams need the same. They need an “end” or a second chance. As long as it is not a matter of integrity, there is no concern about making mistakes. Mistakes are part of the process. This is how growth happens many times. Mistakes are not deadly, they are a chance to learn. When a team member understands that a mistake is not fatal, they tend to take more initiative, try new ideas, and take ownership of more projects—and that's a very important thing.
