EMPATHY

Don't you often say - I understand what you are going thru and only to hear, you can't even imagine what I am going through!?

?Empathy has taken centre stage during the current Covid pandemic, and the need for Empathy centric leadership has been spoken about widely.?So, what is Empathy?

?Empathy

Empathy is the ability to feel what other people feel - from their perspective and point of view. ?It's like being in their shoes, feeling as they do, seeing as they do.?At a time when most people are struggling to come to terms with their own emotions, being able to another person’s feelings & experience is another level of challenge.?

Difference between Pity, Sympathy, Empathy & Compassion

Often people use these words interchangeably.?They are different from each other and essential to understand and act appropriately to avoid misunderstanding.

Pity – I feel bad for you.

Sympathy – I understand what you are feeling or going through

Empathy – I feel what you are feeling

Compassion – I will help you relieve the pain

It is essential to understand the difference and what the person goes through before offering help.?Even if the intent is good, it may lead to misunderstanding and more pain.

Empathy and Leadership

If people are the organisation's real assets, empathy enables leaders to understand the team, their aspirations, challenges, and what inspires them to perform at their peak potential.?

If a leader's actual work is to inspire a team to deliver results, empathy is the most essential trait, and empathy centric leader is poised to deliver results in the most humane manner.?An empathetic leader manages his own emotions better and creates a conducive environment for his team to work & contribute.

Empathy enables leaders to manage humans as resources or assets in the most humane manner, thereby positively impacting the team and return to shareholders.

Significance of Empathy – a need for every person, every day

Empathy is a skill that every individual need to focus on in her personal & work life.?It makes for a better individual and professional.

·?????A Happy World of respect and understanding: Is it not what we all wish for understanding & respect leading to happiness

·?????Build real & meaningful social connections. ?In a world of over-communication & social media, empathy enables making real connections by understanding what people think and feel.

·?????Act & respond appropriately.?Empathy enables people to respond appropriately in social situations, and it helps fight anger, anxiety, misunderstandings, helplessness and many other negative feelings.

·?????It helps one manage own emotions better. ?Making an effort to understand others' feelings from their perspective builds awareness of their own emotions.?

·?????Collaborative behaviour ?When you can understand & appreciate other’s emotions, it creates a space of mutual trust, understanding and collaboration.

·?????Improves the culture of diversity & inclusion.?DE&I is more than a catch phrase when it is anchored in empathy.?People from different backgrounds, cultures & practices can quickly come together and work as a team when they can understand each other's perspectives, emotions and aspirations.

?Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself – Mohsin Hamid.

How to practice and build empathy in everyday life

·?????Heart over mind.?Deepening the feeling with heart.?Not everything has to be understood logically & rationally

·?????Feel and Be - the other person. ?Be willing to listen, understand, acknowledge.?The only way to feel what they are going through

·?????Make yourself available fully.?Be in the moment, theirs & not yours

·?????Understand from their point of view and not yours. ?Their emotions, feelings, thoughts, experience and even their interpretation.?They are living their life and not yours

·?????Listen.?Listen deeply (You can refer to my last post on Art of Listening https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/art-listening-srinivasu-saraswatula)

·?????Give them time and space in your life.

·?????Don’t measure by any standards or compare - certainly not with yours

·?????Don’t judge.?Create & offer a sacred space of trust

·?????Hold back your advice.?That's not what is expected at the moment.

Empathy is the true need of the hour in all spheres around us.?It helps us understand & connect better with individuals, communities & groups.?It enables us to be truly diverse, equitable and inclusive – making the world a better place to live.

As an Executive Coach, I can help build an Empathy Centric Culture beginning at the top.?Contact me for more information.