EMPATHY AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR WORKING RELATIONSHIP

Empathy in academic profession.

I would begin by stating a famous quote, 'A highest form of knowledge is Empathy'- by Bill Bullard, and that should ring the bells for all.

Empathy can be described as capacity of an individuals shoes to understand and feel what an individual is feeling. It is about caring, and developing a desire to help them.

It is understandable that being an academician can be a daunting task, but if we as colleagues , as friends, mentors, professors, lecturers, supervisors and examiners can support- both emotional and psychological, professional in terms of advices, guidance, and tips, it can make all the difference in working on challenging assignments in a very easy manner. All of this underpinned by importance of having empathy. According to an article, it offers a number of benefits such as:

1. Validation- A empathetic responses requires complete emotional understanding of the situation of a persons condition necessitates validating others experiences and emotions. It enables a distressed person feel at ease.
2. Builds Rapport- A sensitive understanding of a situation of a person can help develop bond and reputation, that it may enable professional collaboration, long term connections for future references.At the same time it is a chance for colleagues to feel motivated , and empowered.
3. Healthy boundaries - An empathetic response between colleagues can build and initiate understanding of what amounts to healthy boundaries of communication. It can make them understand about what is required of them as colleagues when not to cross the said healthy limits, which can be negotiated as the relationship further develops, on the basis of a complete kind understanding.
4. Reduce Burnout- I have with my experience, understood how important is it to have mentors, guides, professors, colleagues and friends who can deeply understand the problems you have to while working on different tasks, and they have to tackle too as on their own as well, discussing and providing solutions to each other by experiences enables us to reduce that tension or anxiety to reach that deadline, or target that we have to compete against.

In this section, through my experience, I will talk about how to promote empathy amongst us colleagues.

How To Promote Empathy ?

1. By Socialising Together

By effectively taking out time to do few activities together, would enable building bond between colleagues, that bond will further develop understanding our emotional state better. For example, the colleagues can indulge in hiking, dinners, walks, going off to movies, games, sporting acitvities. Nonetheless, it builds up trust which enables both of you to open with each other.

2. By collaborating on work projects

By working on decided projects, it is very important for you to be able to connect with each other on an emotional front, to avoid confrontations, and smooth working relationship. However, working on new projects, starting as strangers can provide us an equal opportunity to diversify our thought process, and broaden our empathy level.

3. By Critiquing work

By providing feedback on each others interactions, work products, and collaborations we are able to develop better knowledge about a persons perceptions, thinking manner, attitude, so on and so forth.

Conclusion

Building and developing long term relationships is no small effort, but a long term process, and engages deep understanding of emotions of how, why and when do humans behave in a certain way, especially in a stressful academic environment. It is not just about being sympathetic to a colleagues situation, but logically thinking, and providing right support to them. Empathy is a part and parcel of having or developing a higher emotional quotient.