Empathy refers to the ability to imagine what another person is experiencing – to understand their condition, feelings, perceptions and situation – and to be able to communicate that understanding to that person. It is an important skill for a leader as it helps them to understand the motivations, perceptions and concerns of employees.
Following are some methods for developing empathy skills:
• Experience the differences between people – travelling and working in multicultural environments is a great way to learn how people from different backgrounds see and experience life and will expand a person’s ability to relate to others.
• Develop emotional intelligence – people who are not aware of their emotions, how and why they arise and how to control them cannot understand the emotions of others; learning how emotions impact people is an important part of empathy.
• Ask others about their feelings and opinions – sometimes people might have responses that are unexpected and insightful; it’s important to ask these questions in order to understand others.