Empathy at Work

Introduction

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella describes it as “a key source of business innovation...since innovation comes from one’s ability to grasp customers’ unmet, unarticulated needs.” LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner likens it to compassion. And Barack Obama called it “a quality of character that can change the world.” They are all talking about empathy. Empathy is an essential tool in building solid relationships, connecting with those with whom you don’t agree, and creating an environment in which everyone feels valued.

Empathy is the tie that binds us. It is the reason companies like Twitter and Apple can appeal to so many people from different walks of life with such simple products. It highlights the human experience so that people and companies alike can create systems and services that help us all have a better day-to-day experience. Empathy is also, however, an enigma. We all know how valuable it is—there have been thousands of articles and think pieces devoted to empathy in every situation—but empathy is incredibly difficult to quantify.

How do we show empathy? How do we be empathetic? What actions promote empathy and which ones destroy it? And what is empathy really? My name is Sharon Steed; I am a speaker, facilitator, and consultant focusing on empathy at work. I stutter, and my speech impediment creates the environment for audiences to do two things: learn the empathy actions that are the most impactful and facilitate conversations around incorporating empathy in their ...