Empathy is defined as the ability to identify with someone in what they feel and share their feelings. It's also known as putting yourself in “someone else's place” or in ‘someone else’s skin’. Empathy is an essential skill in interpersonal relationships, because knowing how someone acts or feels is essential to understand and helping them.
Empathy is an increasingly appreciated quality in organizations, and it's becoming a key skill for many job positions. The benefits of good personal relationships at work translate into a better work environment and better team performance. When we understand the needs of the people who work with us, we can build interpersonal relations that help create a better work environment based in trust.
5 benefits of being empathetic at work
- Greater emotional connection. Empathy facilities interpersonal relations and helps people feel more comfortable.
- Objectivity. Empathetic people avoid prejudice and better understand those around them.
- Self-esteem. Empathy enhances self-esteem and helps you to better value other people's opinion.
- Reinforcement of professional relationships. You can build stronger professional links, which improves negotiations and strengthens agreements.
- Generosity. Empathy makes collaboration between teams more fluid and helps achieve common goals.
Some people are naturally empathic. But empathy can also be learned to improve interpersonal relationships. Just follow these recommendations:
- Listen to the person in front of you, trying to understand them. Take time to listen and talk. Don't be in a hurry, each person needs time.
- Put yourself in someone else’s place. The way someone understands a situation is not unique. Each person has their point of view, each of them can be valid and, above all, respectable. It is important to have a good predisposition to accept differences.
- Avoid advising if you are not directly asked for it.
- Start by understanding your own emotions so you can understand someone else’s. Self-control is key when interacting with people in both your personal and work life.
- When you talk to someone, pay attention, and show interest in what they are saying. We must not only listen but also show that we are interested. Therefore, verbal, and non-verbal communication is important.
- Do not interrupt while someone else is talking. If there is something to make clear, it's better to write it down and ask your doubts once the other person has finished.
Empathy helps control stress
Empathy is also important to handle stressful situations at work and deal with mistakes without blaming anyone. Once these errors have been identified, it is possible to draw conclusions and learn from what happened. Empathetic people listen attentively and fully focus on their interlocutor. They are not distracted and continue the conversation showing interest in the person who is speaking to them. In fact, they spend more time listening than talking, because they want to understand the difficulties that others must solve in order to help them make decisions.
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