Victor Lipman

A new study emphasizes that managerial empathy needs to be authentic.

I've long been a believer in the importance of empathy in management. At its core, management is about relationships, and empathy, of course, is a key element of positive relationships.

This is why I was interested in recent research from Ernst & Young analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of empathy as a management tool.

A study of 1,000 employed US workers discussed numerous positive aspects of empathy in the workplace. For example:

Instead of adopting a hyper-simplified approach, we must take a counter-intuitive approach and assume there can be multiple realities that are true. This is how empathy works in a real-life setting. By taking a counter-intuitive approach to a topic, and recognizing that we can hold multiple points of truth, we can empathize with another person who is affected by the topic regardless of which side of the topic they are on. And if we all took this approach, there would not be sides to begin with.

The first indications of a lack of empathy in leadership may lie in the problems the leader is regularly faced with. If one or more of the following issues seems familiar, a solution may be found in a more empathic approach:

1. Miscommunications

It may seem obvious, but miscommunicating information will not often lead to the desired response. Before delivery, a leader needs to consider how communication will be received and understood. An empathic leader will tailor messages appropriately to maintain clarity and avoid the receiver "getting the wrong end of the stick."

Peter Sear 

Avoiding the trap that sends us down the wrong path.

During my research and work on empathy with individuals, teams, and organisations, I witness a common mistake. When I point out this error a eureka expression appears on the face in front of me. It suddenly seems obvious, yet the trap is easy to fall into, and the danger of doing so is perhaps exacerbated by our haste to understand another human being’s situation.

Empathy has so much to offer us in our personal and professional endeavours. It empowers us with insight, allowing us to make better-informed decisions. All the more important, then, that we empathise as wisely and accurately as possible.

Jeremy Howick

Avoiding fatal patient safety failures requires “a more empathetic and collaborative approach from doctors”, the UK’s parliamentary and health service ombudsman, Rob Behrens, recently argued in The Times....

Evidence supports the idea that more empathy in hospitals and clinics – commonly taken to involve understanding and taking action – would reduce many persistent problems with patient care. As well as reducing patient complaints and medical errors, clinical trials have shown that if a healthcare professional shows empathy it can reduce pain (both chronic and acute) and post-operative morphine use, and improve immunity in post-operative patients.

In the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey explains that empathy is key to effectiveness. He encourages the reader: “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Wouldn’t it be great if as Christians we were known by our empathy?

We have received the best example of empathy in the person of Jesus. He became a man and can intimately empathise with us because he knows what it is like to experience pain and weakness. He offers us comfort so that we may comfort others.

“God is our… source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort He has given us.” — 2 Corinthians 1:3–4

Being empathetic with others can promote trust and lead to more open and honest relationships.

The Role of Empathy in Activism Ft. Dorcas Cheng-Tozun Purposeful Empathy Hosted by Anita Nowak

We are building momentum for the Empathy Book Authors. 30+ Empathy Book Authors Share the Motivation and Outline of Their Books.

Many authors will offer free books to Summit attendees!

Register now, Join and share the event.
https://lnkd.in/g4WAsNYY
Edwin Rutsch  - TheEmpathyCenter.org 
Anita Nowak, PhD- Purposeful Empathy: Tapping Our Hidden Superpower for Personal, Organizational, and Social Change
Minter Dial - Heartificial Empathy
Maria Ross - The Empathy Edge: Harnessing the Value of Compassion as an Engine for Success 
Lou Agosta - A Rumor of Empathy: Resistance, Narrative and Recovery in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
Indi Young - Practical Empathy: For Collaboration and Creativity in Your Work

Ultimately, literature and empathy are linked insofar as fiction expands your mind, your world, your understanding of other people in the world, and the ways in which you might then relate to them. Literature exposes the incredible differences between us, making it all the more beautiful when in spite of that we can still relate to and empathise with certain thoughts and feelings. Perhaps we are more connected as humans than we think. 

Heightened empathy can create certain challenges in relationships, but it can also foster deep, enduring connections.

by Katherine Train

In integrative empathy we consider empathy as a set of five basic principles and practices, each with behavioral outcomes. At its core it is the individual and collective ability to hold space for others to express themselves as they are, and to imagine what the others’ experiences are like for them from their perspective.  

The five practices and behavioral outcomes are:

• Self-empathy to prepare oneself to hold space for the expression of others.
• Kinesthetic empathy to participate in the movement and sensory experience of movement of another, be aware of how we influence each other non-verbally and co-create coordinated interaction and connection.
• Reflective empathy to achieve mutual understanding and a common picture through empathic listening.
• Imaginative empathy to acknowledge, understand and gain a lived experience of the perspectives of others from their point of view and in their context.

• Empathic creativity to identify and learn from significant change events and to follow through in actionable outcomes.

by Eric W. Dolan

New research published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience provides evidence that higher empathy and neurobiological similarity both play a role in successful communication. However, people tend to rate the quality of their interactions higher when they perceive a sense of similarity with their communication partner, regardless of their actual neural similarities.

Human beings are inherently social creatures. From casual conversations with strangers to deep bonds with close friends and family, our lives are filled with interactions. But what makes some of these interactions more successful and enjoyable than others?

Topics We Cover in This Episode:

- How to get better at empathy in your relationships
- The power of genuine curiosity and thoughtful action when talking to others
- Tips for applying empathy in your life and business
- Ways to accelerate trust in your relationships
- The Depersonalization Model for breakdowns in communication
- Michael’s new book about prioritizing your purpose
- How to get started thinking about your purpose
- What you need in order to be productive in your life
- The power of saying no to the wrong things so you can say yes to the right things
- The key to finding your potential

The ego-empathy balance requires paying attention to another’s desires without wholly sacrificing one’s own. Ego is what gives the salesperson the desire to achieve the sale. Empathy is the other story. Empathy gives one the ability to accurately sense the reactions of other people thus producing the connecting means to make the transaction happen amicably. It is the correct portions of ego and empathy that fosters successful selling. 

Let us begin with ego. Ego is that part of us which craves attention, praise, and success. Ego is what promotes our need for self-esteem and confidence. Great salespeople want to make the sale in an intensely personal way. They do not make the sale just because of the money they will earn; they do it because they get a sense of pride and triumph. This ego drive allows salespeople to have enough confidence to build strong relationships while garnering respect and credibility. Successful salespeople must have enough ego to be motivated by failures and rejections yet not be shattered by them.

by Anita Nowak

One day, after being told that empathy could not be taught, Lynne made it her mission to find evidence to the contrary. The culmination of extensive research is her book, The Empathy Advantage: Coaching Children to Be Kind, Respectful, and Successful.

In it, she paints a vivid picture of empowered children who, armed with empathy, can navigate the complexities of the world, and become a generation that cares deeply about others beyond their immediate circles.

Dr. Nicole Price

For nearly four decades, I championed logic and reason while dismissing empathy and compassion. My mother’s passing was a pivotal moment that allowed me to perceive empathy through her perspective. It was the start of my journey to intentionally integrate empathy into my life.

In my book, Spark the Heart: Engineering Empathy in Your Organization, I delve into this personal transformation. Today, I want to share how crucial empathy is in the workplace, particularly in relation to accountability.

Dear Friends 
We continue to build the movement at The Empathy Center in Santa Barbara. Again, I invite you to join us online and in person.  See the drone video from last weeks amazing Empathy Circle Facilitator Training.  

Building on Fred Roger's comment above, I often say that the Empathy Circle practice is microdosing love.  The foundational practice for the Empathy Movement is the Empathy Circle. The circle is based on mutual deep listening and has MANY benefits.  

Do join us in the upcoming events below.

Warmly,
Edwin Rutsch 

Director: The Empathy Center
https://www.theempathycenter.org/

Katharine Manning

An empathetic workplace is one that accepts that humans work here, and does its best to create an environment where they can thrive. Even on bad days, even during upheaval, even when the world is on fire.

The world has been on fire quite a lot lately.

If we expect people to act like output production machines that are unaffected by the fires around them, we will fail. But if we endeavor to recognize what is actually happening with our workforce, and to give them support when they need it, well. That’s how you build an army. That’s how you create the kind of resilience, trust, and respect that will keep that army cohesive and striving. Even when it’s hard. Even through the mud and fire and chaos.

BY JAMIL ZAKI 

Millions of people turn to the online platform Koko to anonymously discuss their mental health issues and receive support from strangers. In the first week of 2023, many users received replies that were unusually high in quality—faster and more thorough than the site’s standard. Then, people learned that the messages had been cocreated with ChatGPT. They revolted, leading the site’s founder, Rob Morris, to tweet, “Simulated empathy feels weird, empty.” Morris was quickly denounced for subjecting vulnerable people to fake human connection without their consent.

Are you looking to increase staff retention, staff engagement, and improve your HCAHPS scores? We are excited to announce a new empathy training program for front line staff such as those working in the front office, billing, environmental services, food services and parking. This training is designed to provide these employees with tools to care for whomever crosses their path.

It's an outstanding way to invest in those people who care for others while driving critical results for your healthcare network. In this conversation, our founder Helen Riess, M.D. discusses the program, the research that went into creating it, and what it could look like in your healthcare system.

by Marcel Deer 

Well, actually, I may know a few people who have such high levels of empathy they’re great at knowing what others are thinking and feeling almost all the time.

But I decided to ask my friend, Tracy, what it actually felt like to be this kind of person. And I have to admit that I found some of her answers quite surprising.

I’d always thought that having a high level of empathy was an entirely positive thing, but it turns out that there are sometimes disadvantages as well.

So if you recognize these eight feelings, you have a high level of empathy, and I’m sure it affects your life greatly.

by Steve Taplin
great leaders understand that empathy is not a sign of weakness but a powerful tool for building trust, fostering collaboration, and driving organizational success. Contrary to the belief that leaders must be tough and unyielding, embracing empathy allows them to connect on a deeper level, inspire their teams and create a positive, more productive work environment. This article dives into the function of empathy in leadership, debunking the myth that leaders are soft for showing empathy and highlighting the key takeaways for leaders seeking to harness their potential.