How to Thrive as a Highly Sensitive Leader

Highly Sensitive People (HSP’s) have scientifically-proven characteristics that make them talented leaders

Leaders are typically known for their strength and fortitude to lead teams through change and challenge. However, did you know that many great leaders are actually highly sensitive? If you are naturally observant, empathetic, intuitive, and creative, you might be a Highly Sensitive Person or have HSP characteristics. When these HSP characteristics are embraced and protected, they can supercharge your leadership capabilities.

By definition, a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is not someone who is sensitive in the traditional way that we think about sensitivity. If you say something constructive or even offensive to an HSP, they won’t necessarily break down and get upset. HSP’s are actually sensitive to energy — sensitive to people, environment, emotion, and their intuition. It’s estimated that 15 to 20% of the human population is highly sensitive in this way. Additionally, many people who are not HSP’s still possess some HSP characteristics.

I have always been extremely observant, noticing changes in the office environment or faint sounds that seem out of place. When I started leading teams at work, I could sense other people’s energy and how they felt. This helped me to quickly see how individual skills and interests could flow together smoothly to accomplish collective goals most efficiently! Unfortunately, although my team told me that I was a great leader, I often could not fulfill my own high expectations. I also had trouble setting boundaries so I took on too much work, which resulted in cycles of burnout.

I didn’t know about my trait of being an HSP until very recently, when I read an article about it and then took a quiz to measure my sensitivity on a spectrum. There are many quizzes that you can take to measure where you are on the HSP spectrum. One particular quiz revealed that I am an HSP-empath, which is one of the most extreme kinds of HSP’s. Since learning that I was an HSP, I was able to understand my sensitivities, embrace the trait, communicate my needs, and better set the conditions for my success at work.

HSP’s have scientifically-proven characteristics that make them talented leaders. Here is a guide for how to embrace your HSP…