--- title: "Empathy and Self-Care as Leadership Skills" id: "61555" type: "post" slug: "empathy-and-self-care-as-leadership-skills" published_at: "2021-01-25T13:00:12+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:10:14+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/empathy-and-self-care-as-leadership-skills/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/empathy-and-self-care-as-leadership-skills.md" excerpt: "In a year that tested everyone’s mettle, the most successful leaders not only steered their organizations through daunting challenges. They also led by example with empathy, self-care, and attention to mental health—including their own." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" - "Established CEO" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Empathy and Self-Care as Leadership Skills Part of the Deep Dive[Lead2021](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/lead2021/) It may seem counterintuitive when flight attendants ask passengers to put their oxygen masks on first before attending to their children. But it makes sense. You have to take care of yourself before you can care for others. The same is true for association CEOs, especially through the turbulence of 2020 and, presumably, the long road to recovery that lies ahead. The past year has derailed a lot of conventional wisdom about [work-life balance](https://associationsnow.com/2020/06/daily-buzz-leaders-should-maintain-work-life-balance-too/) , [self-care](https://associationsnow.com/2020/11/why-self-care-for-leaders-isnt-selfish/) , and [mental health](https://associationsnow.com/2020/11/how-organizations-can-help-staff-look-after-their-mental-health/) . Working remotely was often seen as a “privilege” and perceived as an excuse to coast at home. With [many people working longer hours than ever before (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nber.org/papers/w27612) —at home—that myth has almost certainly been debunked Likewise, employers often talked about employee mental health, but were they actively supporting it? Another misconception was that self-care was all about spa treatments and relaxation. “Self-care is not an indulgence, it’s an investment,” says Christina Lewellen, CAE, executive director of the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools. “It is truly a leadership skill that CEOs need to master. Because if we don’t do it for ourselves, nobody is going to do it for us.” [Lisa Boylan](https://associationsnow.com/author/lisa-boylan/) Lisa Boylan is a former senior editor of Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/lisa-boylan/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) [#Established CEO](https://associationsnow.com/tag/established-ceo/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [Strategic Planning in 2021: The Same, but Different](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/strategic-planning-in-2021-the-same-but-different/) - [What Should You Keep From Your Pandemic Pivot?](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/what-should-you-keep-from-your-pandemic-pivot/) - [Reinventing Association Business Models](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/reinventing-association-business-models/) - [Beyond Data: How to Decide What’s Next](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/beyond-data-how-to-decide-whats-next/) - [A Reckoning With Ethics and Injustice](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/a-reckoning-with-ethics-and-injustice/) - [Keep Your Board Focused on Strategy](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/20/keep-your-board-focused-on-strategy/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/lead2021/) ## You Might Like - [VideoASAE Research Foundation and MPI Foundation on Neurodiversity in AssociationsDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/asae-research-foundation-and-mpi-foundation-on-neurodiversity-in-associations/) - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) - [VideoInt. 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