Empathy is Key to Emotional Intelligence

Why Empathy Matters

Imagine being a homeless teenager on the streets and no supplies.  Your food stamps don’t cover them. Appalled and empathetic, Jan Healing created a non-profit called Renewing Dignity.org to provide period products to impoverished populations.  Her empathy resulted in action.

Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s experience and communicate that understanding with care and respect. It is essential in leadership, business, and daily life, shaping trust, navigating conflict, and strengthening executive presence and effective communication with clients, colleagues, employees, and the people closest to us.

How to Develop Greater Empathy

1. Cultivate curiosity about those different from yourself.  Ask questions, learn about their culture, their interests, their issues.

2. Challenge your own biases. Ask yourself why you think the way you do about certain people, or groups of people.  Is it valid, necessary or appropriate?

3. Volunteer at places where people are less fortunate than you.  You’ll suddenly have much more compassion and gratitude for your blessings,

4. Travel outside your country and see how others live.  It can be very eye-opening.

5. Listen carefully to others’ lives and experiences and share some of your hardships and concerns.  Be real.

6. Treat others as important, the way you want to be treated.

7. Ask if it’s ok to offer help.  Some people will say no and some will be grateful.  Be humble and value them.

8. Always look others in the eye and treat them with dignity.

You can have better relationships in every area of your life if you take the time to develop empathy.