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I’ve spent the past 18 years writing and lecturing about something called “caring leadership” or “servant leadership.” The focus of this leadership is to help employees be more effective and productive by creating a workplace in which they can grow personally, do good work and share in all the rewards – not just the professional and financial but also the psychological, emotional and spiritual rewards – of a job well done.

The results, of course, are of enormous benefit to an organization in achieving its goals of excellence and, in the case of business, its profits.

I’ve done this work not only in the United States but also in Australia, Canada, Iceland, Nassau, the Netherlands and Singapore. It is particularly fulfilling when I see leaders trying to incorporate this kind of leadership into their own personal practice and throughout their organizations.

But there are also times when it is very frustrating. These are among those times. Yes, when times are tough, the easier management style, the old macho, top-down, command-and-control way of doing things, seems to rear its ugly head.

It’s as if leaders and managers feel that this “soft stuff” can’t possibly work in this economy. This is the time to push hard, to be tough. “After all,” these managers seem to be saying, “these employees better be thankful they have a job, right? We don’t have time to worry about their personal growth, whatever that is. They don’t need to find meaning as long as they get a paycheck, right? We’ve got to focus on results.”

I know that what I teach is not easy to put into practice, because it’s not about what leaders do; it’s about who they are: being not doing. I try to emphasize that leadership is not about what the leader does; it’s about what others do because the leader is there.

I know it’s hard also for some managers and leaders to admit how difficult it is to extend themselves personally and to see themselves as a resource for their employees. It’s much easier to kick ’em in the rear and take names.

So, you may ask, if employees are easy to replace these days, why should the leader put all that effort into serving the employees’ interests?

Well, friends, the answer has to do with the very thing that has caused all this trouble in the first place: an obsession with short-term thinking, short-term decision-making and short-term results.

Believe me, the economy will get better. The unemployment rate will drop. Good people will be able to find the jobs they want.

But even with high unemployment, the challenge is still to find good people and to help them be more effective. By that, I mean people who can be led to be productive and to be passionate about their work and the quality of their work.

Productivity has to do with efficiency, and quality has to do with both efficiency and effectiveness. Too often, we have let efficiency become the enemy of effectiveness. What good is it to efficiently turn out products that don’t perform? What good is it to make X number of halfhearted sales calls a day but never close a sale? What good is it when an employee responds to X number of customer inquiries but just makes the customers angry in the process? (Think airlines.)

The leader with the long-term view is one who realizes that if I do not nurture and support my employees and help them find meaning in their work, then as soon as the economy gets better and jobs are available, my best people will leave. It’s as simple as that.

So yes, the goal of servant leadership is to find good people, help them be more productive and effective, and ensure their connection to your organization and to what you and they are trying to accomplish together. This is a primary function of leadership.

Also in times like these, remember this about layoffs and high unemployment: Though you have a responsibility to help those being laid off, you also must realize that the people who remain are still your most important assets. And what are they thinking during these unsettled times?

For one thing, they’re wondering, “Am I next?” They’re fearful and insecure.

For another, they’re watching how those laid off have been treated. After all, these are their friends and colleagues, and if you as the leader don’t do everything you can to help them, the remaining employees are likely to be resentful. There is much support and nurturing to be done in these times. Otherwise, contrary to what you may expect after a layoff, productivity and effectiveness will drop, not rise.

And always remember what a publisher friend of mine used to say: The only thing worse than someone who quits and leaves is someone who quits and stays.

So here’s my advice: If you are already trying to create a supportive workplace, don’t abandon that effort in the face of tough economic times. This is the time to re-emphasize what you’re doing.

If you aren’t trying to create such a workplace or if you think it’s all about soft stuff and being nice, these tough times may just be the right time to learn about, and try, servant leadership. Believe me, it works.

James Autry is an author and the retired president of Meredith Corp.’s magazine group.