It’s nice to be back in Aspen for the Ideas Festival, and unsurprisingly, I’ve spent a lot of time in sessions around creativity and innovation.
Perhaps the best message I took away was the concept of “designing with empathy.”
Kelley talked about the development and launch of a GE scanning machine that could do incredibly powerful things, particularly in the field of pediatric medicine; but the machine scared the daylights out of kids. Over 80% of them were so frightened that they had to bring in an anesthesiologist to keep the kids still.
The GE product designer was gutted to hear that his incredible work had caused such a reaction – and so GE went back and took another run with a redesign that included graphics to make it look like a pirate ship! Kids were told to pretend they were hiding from the captain and to stay as still as possible, and it worked. After the redesign, less than 10% of kids that went into the scanner required the anesthesiologist.
Over the last two years I worked towards completing the Empathy Center Facilitation training course on-line and I received my certification as a trainer. This consisted of over 60 hours of instruction and practice.
Last week the opportunity came up for me to teach the introductory class in-person at the Santa Barbara campus. The core of the in-person class is the same as the on-line, but the in-person one has the following enhancements..
according to Dr. Peter Sear “Empathic Coaching” is on the ascension.
In his book Empathic Leadership: Lessons from Elite Sport, he explores seven aspects of empathy. Each one illustrates stories from male and female head coaches of teams competing at the highest levels of nine different team sports. The result is an authentic portrayal of what it takes to become an empathic leader.
Numerous research studies link mindfulness training to improved empathy. However, few studies focus on the mediating factors of empathy. This work has three objectives: (a) to analyze the possible mediation of mindfulness as a feature in this relation, (b) to analyze the mindfulness factors that mediate in the increase of empathy and (c) to analyze the moderating role of gender.
Watch this episode to learn how empathy can become a multi-generational trait and how to cultivate empathy in teenagers.
Dr. Jessica Stern is a developmental psychologist whose work explores parent-child social-emotional development. In this episode, she speaks about the findings of a 25-year study that examined empathy development across three generations. She also discusses how peer groups and social media impact the mental health of teens.
00:00 Preview 00:42 Introduction 01:00 About Dr. Jessica Stern 02:27 Why is empathy so important for children and teenagers? 06:49 The importance of "serve and return" interactions starting in infancy 10:08 The "Still Face Experiment” - How disengagement impacts children’s emotional development 15:25 Why do teenagers feel the desperate need to belong? 18:27 Strategies for parents to manage how their teens consume social media 23:16 Observing empathy in action in Jessica’s research 28:15 Empathy across three generations - Exploring Jessica’s research 33:21 How to break un-empathic intergenerational patterns 34:59 Ways to break toxic Intergenerational cycles 41:25 Holding space and reflective listening 46:10 Jessica Stern’s Purposeful Empathy Story
By Riane Lumer, CNN — It doesn’t often feel as if we’re living in empathetic times. Over the past two decades, partisan gaps on all the issues included in a Gallup analysis have widened or remained roughly the same. Some argue that in this tumultuous landscape filled with social and political divisions, the United
People often believe that “their craving for a more empathetic community is theirs alone when other people all around them also want the same thing,” said Zaki, author of “The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World.” This mistaken belief weakens conversations by creating biased views before you even start talking.
While Konrath found that empathy is rebounding among young Americans, other experts say there is still a need to encourage greater face-to-face conversation across all age groups to build empathy in an increasingly digitally driven era of communication.
Building empathy in the workplace is no easy feat. Good friend of the show Rob Volpe joined us at Good Things Utah this week to talk about ways to build a culture of empathy in the workplace.
Volpe says everyone plays a part in creating an environment where empathy can thrive. Volpe touches on these subjects in his book “Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time”. It provides fundamentals he learned in the workplace throughout his lifetime.
You can learn more about Rob Volpe and his work as an empathy activist at his website RobVolpe.expert.
Empathy in Leadership: A Conversation with Maria Ross In the latest episode of our podcast, we had the pleasure of welcoming back Maria Ross, an empathy advocate, speaker, author, workshop facilitator, and brand strategist. It’s been four years since Maria last joined us, and in that time, she has continued to champion the cause of empathy in leadership and business. Her new book, “The Empathy Dilemma: How Successful Leaders Balance Performance, People, and Personal Boundaries,” delves into the complexities of applying empathy in the workplace, especially in a post-pandemic world.
The Journey to Empathy Maria’s journey into empathy advocacy began with a life-altering experience. At the age of 35, she suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm. This unexpected event not only upended her life but also shaped her understanding of empathy. During her recovery, Maria experienced a level of care that was deeply empathetic, which she later discovered was part of a broader philosophy known as patient and family-centred care. This approach places the patient and their family at the centre of the care experience, ensuring they feel seen, heard, and valued.
Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is integral to effective communication and social interaction. In collaborative learning environments, empathy assumes even greater significance as it facilitates idea exchange and problem-solving among students. While previous studies have explored the role of empathy in collaboration, research focusing specifically on its impact on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) remains limited.
Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between students’ levels of affective and cognitive empathy and their chat discussion behavior within a CSCL environment. An exploratory descriptive study with 188 students from Spain (N = 133) and Brazil (N = 55) (Mage = 15.7 years) examined how affective and cognitive empathy influence student’s online discussion within a CSCL environment.
By Riane Lumer, CNN Empathy is rebounding among young Americans, a recent study found, but other experts say there is still a need to encourage greater face-to-face conversation to build empathy.
After studying and noting a decline in empathy in young people between 1979 and 2009, Konrath, director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and her coauthors updated their research in a recent report published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Empathy is the compassionate capacity to detect and feel others’ emotions coupled with an ability to understand another person’s perspective. This awareness is not a fixed trait.
Why We Still Need Empathy In The Age Of Automation We live in an age of algorithms; it is an era rife with artificial intelligence and robotic processes—an era where organizations strive for higher efficiency, productivity and cost-savings through automation. We must pause and consider the role of empathy in this digital transformation, even beyond healthcare.
The art of storytelling is more than a marketing tool; it’s a strategic imperative for businesses looking to differentiate themselves, engage their audiences and inspire action. By focusing on empathy, iteration, clear narratives, visual elements, collaboration and impact measurement, businesses can harness the full potential of storytelling to influence and inspire.
In the complex landscape of public service, civil servants often find themselves at the intersection of empathy and professionalism. Empathy, the ability to understand and share another’s emotions, is a fundamental human trait. It allows civil servants to connect with citizens, comprehend their needs, and address their concerns effectively. However, alongside empathy, professionalism remains equally crucial.
Professional conduct ensures adherence to rules, impartiality, and efficient service delivery. Striking the right balance between these two dimensions is essential for civil servants to navigate their roles successfully. In this essay, we explore how empathy and professionalism can coexist harmoniously, enriching governance and fostering trust in public administration.
Misconceptions about autism and empathy are common. Autistic people are sometimes said to lack empathy (the ability to feel along with others) and/or sympathy (the ability to feel for others). While this stereotype is often used to describe all autistic people, these challenges are not experienced by everyone on the spectrum.
This article looks at autism and empathy, and what the research says about how autistic people experience this emotion. Autism, Empathy, and Sympathy Research into the link between autism, empathy, and sympathy has evolved over the past 40 years. Initially, it was believed that a lack of empathy and sympathy was a universal trait of autism, but more recent research indicates that this varies among individuals diagnosed with autism.
How Autism May Affect Empathy and Sympathy
Misconceptions about autism and empathy are common. Autistic people are sometimes said to lack empathy (the ability to feel along with others) and/or sympathy (the ability to feel for others). While this stereotype is often used to describe all autistic people, these challenges are not experienced by everyone on the spectrum.
This article looks at autism and empathy, and what the research says about how autistic people experience this emotion.
Autism, Empathy, and Sympathy Research into the link between autism, empathy, and sympathy has evolved over the past 40 years. Initially, it was believed that a lack of empathy and sympathy was a universal trait of autism, but more recent research indicates that this varies among individuals diagnosed with autism.
Empathy allows leaders to connect with their employees on a deeper level, fostering an environment where people feel valued and understood. It involves actively listening to team members, acknowledging their feelings, and responding with compassion. This approach can lead to improved morale, increased productivity, and reduced turnover.
Improved Employee Engagement: When employees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. Empathetic leaders create a supportive atmosphere where individuals are encouraged to contribute their best work. This results in higher job satisfaction and a greater sense of loyalty to the organization.
Journalist Bruce Grierson asks, “What percent of people, at the end of a conversation, say they felt ‘heard’? A study recently published in Frontiers in Science answered the question: 5%. Only in one in 20 conversations do we feel genuinely heard at the end. We are really not very good at listening to each other.”
In recent years listening has often been belittled. There’s a popular message that if “good” people (i.e. my side) listen to the other side, rather than shutting them down, that just lets them get away with the harms they cause. Listening to the opposing political camp is called “self-flagellation” and “political correctness.” And we’re reminded that listening is too demanding and is a reflection of privilege.
But listening is not solely civil or privileged. It’s also one of the most ancient and effective ways to connect with other humans and, in many cases, even influence them. Whether you’re looking for more fulfilling relationships, or to create broader social change, listening is a powerful strategy.
Gen-AI and the Amazing Maze of Empathy explores the complex landscape of empathy definitions and its importance in our interconnected world.
The authors, in collaboration with AI and empathy experts, propose a first principles definition of empathy comprising six core principles: experiential space holding, listening and reformulation, perspective-taking, transparency and intention, means to an end, and ethical considerations.
This approach aims to break down empathy into discrete, programmable behaviors for AI applications. The post highlights the challenges of defining and measuring empathy while emphasizing its crucial role in fostering understanding and connection in an increasingly individualistic society.
Hybrid Empathy When used thoughtfully, AI has the potential to enhance our empathy and improve our interpersonal relationships. The many micro-interactions we have with AI—whether it’s asking for a weather update with a "please" or thanking the AI for setting a reminder—can reinforce the social norms of politeness and empathy that are crucial for healthy human relationships, provided we approach these interactions with a mindful attitude.
Consider the impact this could have in customer service settings. When AI systems consistently demonstrate empathy and understanding, customers may start to expect similar treatment from human representatives. This sets a higher standard for human-to-human interactions, potentially leading to a more compassionate and customer-centric culture within organizations.
Barriers to empathy in the customer experience The insurance industry faces several challenges as it tries to deliver more empathetic customer experiences.
In an IDC white paper sponsored by Samsung “Bridging the Digital-Human Gap: Strategies for Branches and Intermediaries – Insights from US Study on Modernization in Banking and Insurance1,” 33% of insurers surveyed said their biggest challenge is ensuring customer satisfaction and retention through empathetic connections. Customers still grapple with too much complexity as they wade through insurance options. Confusing terminology, lack of transparency, and perceptions around limited coverage and customization are contributing factors.
In the world of Information Technology and Data Management, where numbers, algorithms, and efficiency often dominate the conversation, it might seem odd to talk about something as intangible as empathy. Yet, as the landscape of leadership evolves, empathy is emerging as a cornerstone of effective leadership. But how does empathy translate into the data-driven world of IT and continuous process improvement? Let’s explore this intersection and understand why empathy is not just a soft skill but a critical component of successful leadership in today’s fast-paced environment.
Understanding Empathy in Leadership
Empathy, at its core, is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
Marketing and technology author Minter Dial explains how empathy can benefit businesses and artificial intelligence applications.
In this episode of the McKinsey on AI podcast miniseries, McKinsey’s David DeLallo speaks with Minter Dial, an established speaker and author on the topics of technology and marketing and author of Heartificial Empathy. They explore the role of empathy in business and whether artificial intelligence should be trained to exhibit empathy for some applications
Minter Dial: There is now a study that shows that businesses that have empathy within their culture and toward the customer will have a net positive benefit on their bottom line. And that shows up in the shareholder stock price. The study evaluated 170 publicly traded companies, on a range of some 50 criteria, on their empathic ability. The top ten with empathy outperformed the bottom ten by two times on the stock market.
Bullying behavior among students is a serious problem in the educational context and has an impact on victims and perpetrators. Bullying has serious impacts, both emotionally and psychologically, especially for victims who are vulnerable to stress, depression, and even in extreme cases, can lead to suicidal tendencies. Empathy is a key factor in responding to bullying situations.
So empathy is an important aspect in reducing bullying behavior. The aim of this research is to explore the role of empathy in bullying behavior in students. The scoping review method was used in this research. The keywords used are empathy, bullying, and students. Search for articles in three databases, namely CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus.
The authors found 13 articles that discussed the influence of empathy on bullying behavior in students. Findings from the articles analyzed highlight the complexity of the interactions between affective and cognitive empathy and students behavior in the context of bullying.
The study, conducted by Rocky Vista University, Edith Cowan University (ECU), and Midwestern University, involved 165 students studying health care professions. They participated in an improv session and were tasked with several improv activities. Their self-reported empathy scores were assessed at three time points (pre-improv, post-improv, and end of semester).
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