At the core of many great relationships is empathy. This means putting yourself in the shoes of another person and genuinely seeing things from their eyes and feeling what they feel.
And this is a skill that enables you to connect with depth, which gives rise to trust and respect between you and the person you are working with.
Developing empathy begins with active listening, paying attention to non-verbal cues such as body language, face expression, and vocal tone. These micro-signals, the way people carry themselves, more often than not give away a person emotions than the spoken word.
Responding with empathy serves to validate the other person and allows them to feel it, that their feelings matter and they were heard.
Another essential aspect of empathy is putting away your biases and judgments. Always approach with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Rather than saying, “that really doesn’t seem like a big deal” because you’re thinking about it from your own perspective, take a breath and realize they are thinking from their perspective. A gentler response would go a long way.
You do not need the perfect words to say with empathy, it is usually just being there and showing that you care. Empathy makes you think more of what the other person is going through, whether it be comforting them in times of worry or celebrating someone else’s good fortune, it re-affirms the emotional connection that holds people together.
Tip: Respond with empathy: “That seems very hard.” Or, “That is obviously very important to you.” These signals reflect understanding and invite honest, heartfelt conversations.