Dear Friends, I'm sending this newsletter to my family, friends, social media, and communitycontacts that I've made over the years. This is a new email newsletter that I and the Empathy Center will be sending out periodically. It will be a great way to keep inspired and informed about the latest developments in the empathy movement.
I do hope you will stay in touch and join us in building a global empathy movement as a gateway to greater well-being, care, community, compassion, creativity, peace, and love.
A big focus in our work will be nurturing and supporting empathy in our families.
In Part Two of Clint’s conversation with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, they discuss how empathetic leadership can drive culture, performance, and the bottom line. Claude shares how to create trust in flat organizations, why feedback is about connection (not correction), and what it really means to lead with heart. Plus, the pair explore how to scale emotional intelligence in a rapidly changing world. This is the second part of a two-part conversation.
— Empathy is usually regarded as a virtue, a key to human decency and kindness. And yet, with increasing momentum, voices on the Christian right are preaching that it has become a vice.
For them, empathy is a cudgel for the left: It can manipulate caring people into accepting all manner of sins according to a conservative Christian perspective, including abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, illegal immigration and certain views on social and racial justice.
"Empathy becomes toxic when it encourages you to affirm sin, validate lies or support destructive policies," said Allie Beth Stuckey, author of "Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion."
Chicago (October 15, 2025) – Chaz Ebert—CEO of RogerEbert.com, humanitarian, film producer, and wife of the late Pulitzer Prize-winner Roger Ebert—today announced that nominations are officially open for the inaugural FECK Awards, a groundbreaking new initiative celebrating individuals and organizations who elevate humanity through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness. Inspired by her 2024 book, It’s Time to Give a FECK: Elevating Humanity Through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness, the FECK Awards bring to life Ebert’s vision of spotlighting those who act with courage, compassion, and heart to mend divisions and spark ripples of kindness in their communities.
The Empathy Deficit Most AI today is built on a simple premise: that logic alone is enough. Models crunch vast amounts of historical data to predict what should happen next, but they do so without any awareness of how the person on the other side is actually feeling in the moment.
This works fine in transactional contexts, such as asking AI to summarize a document or requesting the fastest route to get you to your destination, but it breaks down in more “human” settings like wellness and education, where outcomes depend as much on emotional alignment as factual accuracy. In fact, a 2025 study published in the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science found that smartwatch stress scores often failed to align with how users actually felt, highlighting the disconnect between physiological data and emotional reality.
Bio: Edwin Rutsch is the Founding Director of The Empathy Center, developer and long term "evangelist" of the Empathy Movement Circle practice. (LinkedIn) (Facebook) (Website)
Topic: Why is it Beneficial to Think in Terms of Building an Empathy Movement?
Abstract: This talk makes the case for seeing our work not as isolated projects, but as part of a larger Empathy Movement. A movement lens gives us energy, unity, and vision—it reminds us that we are not alone but building something bigger together. By naming it a movement, we create a call to action: to connect, to collaborate, and to stand for empathy as a constructive growth promoting cultural force. I will share why this framing is so powerful and how it can help us grow a movement that heals and transforms relationships, communities, and society.
Bio: Johanna (Jodie) Jensen is an empathy researcher at Brigham Young University. She is pursuing a doctorate degree in social psychology and studies empathy in the broader context of positive psychology and character development. (LinkedIn) (Facebook)
Topic: A Clearer Empathy Definition for a Stronger Empathy Movement
Abstract: Empathy is a widely held cultural value. However, due to divergent definitions of empathy, recent critics have called empathy dangerous and toxic. Empathy advocates are left baffled by this outcry, wondering how anyone could criticize a practice that has such obvious relational benefits. As we work together to build an empathy movement, we must first seek to understand the perspective of those who oppose the movement.
In this talk, we will dig into the various definitions of empathy to discover why this disconnect exists. We will then discuss how we can use this understanding to invite the critics to see the value of the holistic empathy model we promote. Finally, we will discuss the need for a clear, simple definition of the holistic empathy model that can be broadly accepted and operationalized.
Bio: Dr. Felicia Darling is a Math/Ed Professor at UC Berkeley and SRJC and author of Empathy Unchained: Heal Your Trauma. Uplift the World. (LinkedIn) (Facebook) (Website)
Topic: From Math Circles to Empathy Circles: Building a Bottom-Up Movement
Abstract: A true global Empathy Movement must grow both top-down and bottom-up. In my course Playing with Mindfulness and Math, we use Empathy Circles to foster collaborative problem-solving, deeper connection, and compassionate engagement—even in math. When empathy is integrated into daily life and learning, we begin to build lasting change from the ground up.
The Empathy Circle meeting focused on strategies for building the empathy movement. Ingrid Hirtz facilitated the discussion, emphasizing the importance of gradual empathy building and the need for trust within the movement. Participants shared their experiences, highlighting the effectiveness of structured empathy circles and the challenges of integrating empathy practices outside these environments.
The conversation also touched on the importance of financing the movement, the role of impact investors, and the need for educational outreach to both participants and potential investors. The session concluded with reflections on the personal and collective impact of empathy work.
The Method of Empathy: Compassion and Scientific Rigour
To understand Dr Jane Goodall’s impact requires understanding her methods. Her contribution to science and environment through primatology was distinguished by its objective observations and revolutionary use of empathy in scientific study.
Instead of the then-traditional methods of using research numbers, she gave her chimpanzee subject names such as David Greybeard, Flo, and Flint.
This empathy stretched to her documentation of not just their use of simple tools, but their personalities, family bonds, emotions of joy and grief, and their lives and stories. This approach challenged the detached, quantitative science of her era, and its gradual acceptance worldwide as a scientific method was a testament to and foundation for her scientific and charismatic authority.
The Ignorance of Rejecting Empathy Charlie Kirk didn’t need or want that kind of educational journey. His advocacy with students was exemplified by a taunt: “Prove me wrong.”
His confidence made him bold. His ignorance made him dangerous.
Kirk seemed uninformed about human emotions and the complexities of living in a community. Empathy is not a new-age, made-up term.
Researcher Brené Brown, in Atlas of the Heart, a leading resource for understanding 87 human emotions, wrote, “Empathy is a tool of compassion. It is about being present to someone’s pain.”
In this episode of the Magical Learning Podcast, Daniel Murray discusses the importance of empathy in leadership and the challenges of understanding others. He shares his personal journey from mathematics to consulting, emphasising the need for leaders to connect with their teams on a deeper level.
The conversation explores the concept of the empathy gap, practical strategies for reducing it, and the significance of effective communication in building trust. Daniel also reflects on his writing process for his book, 'The Empathy Gap', and encourages leaders to embrace vulnerability and curiosity in their interactions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Personal Journey 03:46 Understanding Empathy and Its Importance 07:36 The Empathy Gap Explained 11:32 Practical Questions for Building Trust 15:08 Strategies for Leaders to Reduce the Empathy Gap 19:12 The Writing Process and Final Thoughts
De l'empathie... a-t-elle déjà sa place dans la communication que nous avons tous les jours, au quotidien ? Cet article vous informe sur son rôle et qu'a t'elle comme objecitf.
Is empathy on the chopping block? In a charged political climate in the United States, it certainly could be.
Are we experiencing an empathy drought? Not only do we appear to have less compassion for others, but we are being told, by many commentators, that we should not feel bad about not feeling bad.
Steps for Building an Empathetic Startup Culture The first 90 days of a startup are like wet cement: Whatever you imprint now will harden over time. To set the right tone, take these foundational steps:
Define your values early. Even if you’re a two-person team, document your beliefs and cultural principles. Clarity now avoids confusion later.
Hire for values alignment—not “fit.” Replace “culture fit” with “values fit.” Look for people who share your core beliefs but bring different life experiences and perspectives.
Model empathy as a leader. Empathy must be visible at the top. Practice active listening, admit your mistakes, and lead with humility.
Build in empathy rituals. Create space for authentic connection. One-on-ones, open feedback loops, and structured reflection moments show people their voices matter.
A new paper published Oct. 16 in Nature Human Behavior highlights findings from several studies of how perceptions of others’ empathy – defined as “the ability to share, understand, and care about others’ experiences” of others – influences feelings of social connectedness.
In a survey of more than 5,000 Stanford undergraduates, students who perceived their peers as more empathic reported better psychological well-being and more friends. But researchers uncovered an “empathy perception gap” in which students consistently viewed their peers as less empathic and caring than those other students saw themselves.
Some conservative Christian leaders and influencers are warning their audiences about what they call “toxic empathy,” while others argue that empathy is a Christian virtue—or at least not a harmful one. The debate centers on how empathy is being framed, who is driving the critique, and how other Christians are responding
And yet, empathy is most fragile when we need it most. Our empathy narrows under conditions of threat, difference or moralized conflict. We draw boundaries between “us” and “them,” and once we do, compassion for the “other” becomes harder to access. In polarized contexts, this narrowing is amplified: the suffering of someone on the “other side” can feel less urgent, less real or even, perversely, like a form of justice. When we allow these boundaries to harden, we chip away at the very foundations of human connection.
Article content This is the moment where empathy is most radical, and most necessary. Choosing empathy here does not mean endorsing Kirk’s political views, nor erasing the harm that his rhetoric may have caused to others. It is not about a single individual — it is about us, about the state of our societies and where we are heading. It means recognizing that violence against one person pulls us all deeper into a cycle where fear and retaliation replace dialogue and repair. If we continue down this path, each act of violence or outrage becomes another layer in a wall that separates us.
Bio: Masha is a psychologist, independent researcher, and founder of the Empathy-Based Society Institute, an initiative dedicated to promoting the purposeful development of empathy at both individual and systemic levels for people, animals, and the planet. (LinkedIn) (Facebook) (Website)
Topic: Empathy Movement: Cultivating an Empathy-Based Society for Personal and Systemic Change
Abstract: Neuroscience shows empathy and violence are neurologically linked and suppress one another. We have normalized violence towards people, animals, nature, and the planet, and built an economic system on this foundation. Saving the planet and creating a better future for all beings requires more than innovation and investment in sustainable solutions; it demands a fundamental shift in how we relate to all living beings and the planet. This is where the Empathy Movement steps in: by teaching empathic connection to people, animals, and nature, we directly address the problem of normalized violence at individual, community, and systemic levels. The movement also provides a unifying framework for sectors that often operate in parallel but disconnected efforts, such as social justice, animal advocacy, and environmental action. By reconnecting these sectors through a shared foundation of empathy, the Empathy Movement amplifies their collective impact and builds the foundation for lasting societal transformation.
Bio: Catherine Cooley is an organizational communication and conflict coach and trainer, certified in NVC (Nonviolent & Compassionate Communication). (LinkedIn) (Website)
Topic: Can the Empathy Movement Humanize Corporations?
Abstract: Wouldn’t we all want to live and work in a world of genuinely empathic companies? To grow the empathy movement in the business community, we need to provide empathy and other Emotional Intelligence training that is genuine, precise, and experiential. Otherwise people end up with a conceptual understanding that is not embodied nor integrated into their actions and interactions. Or, worse, empathy becomes a tool of manipulation. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) based training provides a solid foundation for empathy to shine as the powerful company culture builder that it really is.
Bio: Cait Kamins is the founder of The CoMethod, co-creator of Full Circle, and a national leader in independent school communities--she brings sixteen years of experience in social-emotional learning, school culture, and educator development. (LinkedIn) (Facebook) (Website)
Topic: Building the Empathy Movement in Schools: Reclaiming Human Connection in Educational Spaces
Abstract: What would it take for empathy to become a true cornerstone of global education, not just a classroom practice or buzzword? This session considers how schools can move beyond isolated programs to create environments where empathy is woven into the fabric of teaching and leadership. By focusing on the needs and strengths of educators, the empathy movement becomes both scalable and sustaining.
Thursday, November 6 | Free Admission & Parking 5-6 P.M. Community Resource Center 6-7:30 P.M. Panel Discussion Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg's Center for Health Equality
In an era when many feel isolated, misunderstood or emotionally overwhelmed, how can we listen and connect?
Join Tampa Bay Times Columnist Stephanie Hayes and a panel of experts on empathy, ethics, civil discourse and media literacy to explore:
What does it take to hold space for different perspectives?
How can we be truly open to seeing another point of view?
What practical tools can help us engage in hard conversations and build bridges?
How do we move from empathy to meaningful action?
The experts will share practical tools for navigating tough conversations, building trust and turning empathy into action. You’ll leave with strategies for meaningful dialogue and tips for digging out instead of digging in.
Arrive at 5 p.m. to explore resources from community partners, including: Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Times
A lack of empathy in the customer journey The study of more than 11,000 consumers worldwide found that 72 percent believe a company’s empathy disappears the moment a contract is signed, and 43 percent have left a brand entirely because of it. This widespread perception presents a significant barrier to building authentic customer relationships and has consequences for trust, loyalty and growth.
This issue is particularly acute in the financial services sector. Our survey found that 88 percent of consumers surveyed believe it is important for financial services companies, including insurers, to show empathy, a figure second only to healthcare (94 percent).
Why you should use empathy in business: Is there a place for empathy in the workplace? Google recently identified empathy as THE difference maker. Why is empathy important in business and what does these new statement from Google and Adobe mean for business?
In this video Joshua Freedman, Six Seconds' CEO, talks about why you should use empathy in business, and explores 3 obstacles leader face that will help you understand how you can use empathy to get better results for yourself for your team and for your organization.
Want to see how companies around the world are working on empathy and emotional intelligence? 6seconds.org/cases
The Empathy Gap: The Bridge to Real Connection and Lasting Influence
Want to form stronger connections with the people they lead....
In The Empathy Gap, corporate strategy and management consultant Daniel Murray delivers a unique and unconventional approach to contemporary leadership, emphasising the power of empathy. Empathy is not just a secondary soft skill, but rather a powerful tool for driving performance, fostering innovation and leading in today’s complex, diverse and fast-paced world. Exhibiting empathy is not a magical skill that some people have and others don’t. It is a capability that we can all build and nurture.
Drawing on the latest research, personal anecdotes and real-world case studies, Murray lays out a detailed and practical guide for leaders to harness the transformative power of empathy and achieve outstanding results in their organisations.
An invaluable resource for corporate leaders, business managers, human resources professionals and board members, The Empathy Gap helps leaders develop their empathetic capabilities, leading to long-term, sustainable business success ― without sacrificing culture.
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