"Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate and to connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives."
-Oprah Winfrey
-Oprah Winfrey
Empathy in School and Life
In order to function in any sort of society, whether in school, work, or life, some degree of empathy is needed for the interactions taking place to be successful. In order to work with others one must be able to understand that person at many levels, beyond what they are saying, and attend to how they are feeling through the verbal and nonverbal cues they are giving. Empathy is a skill that we are constantly trying to instill in our students in elementary school in order to help young children leave their own self-contained world and consider the feelings and emotions of the people around them, the ones they see in movies, and the ones they read about in books. This helps them to better get along with people, make good choices, work well together, and more. When they do not have any degree of empathy they act in a self-serving manner without concern for those around them who may be affected which can lead to trouble and chaos.
This is another skill which can only be used by a human being in contact with another, which is another reason why developing empathy is so important. It is a way to get meaning from life, from others, from interactions.
Paul Ekman has done a great deal of research on reading facial expressions which humans use universally to express certain emotions. Learning to be more aware of these expressions, even when they are brief "slight expressions" can help people to become more empathic by being aware of others feelings. The main seven emotions that he found to be universally expressed by people across cultures are anger, sadness, fear, surprise, disgust, contempt, and happiness. To learn more about Paul Ekman and his studies on expressions, click the button below.
You may also want to check out the show Lie to Me on Netflix starring Tim Roth. It is based on the ideas posed by Ekman where a man uses the theories on micro expressions and emotions to solve crimes and help those in need. It is interesting to see how the different characters can be analyzing and trying to understand the emotions and what they mean, but approach it with very different levels of empathy on their own part. For example the main character Dr. Lightman, the expert on micro expressions and the head of his consulting company often comes off as harsh and not even slightly empathetic though he is able to see and read the expressions of others. His partner however is extremely empathetic with those around her which can be helpful, but also sometimes clouds her judgement of others and what their emotions mean.
This is another skill which can only be used by a human being in contact with another, which is another reason why developing empathy is so important. It is a way to get meaning from life, from others, from interactions.
Paul Ekman has done a great deal of research on reading facial expressions which humans use universally to express certain emotions. Learning to be more aware of these expressions, even when they are brief "slight expressions" can help people to become more empathic by being aware of others feelings. The main seven emotions that he found to be universally expressed by people across cultures are anger, sadness, fear, surprise, disgust, contempt, and happiness. To learn more about Paul Ekman and his studies on expressions, click the button below.
You may also want to check out the show Lie to Me on Netflix starring Tim Roth. It is based on the ideas posed by Ekman where a man uses the theories on micro expressions and emotions to solve crimes and help those in need. It is interesting to see how the different characters can be analyzing and trying to understand the emotions and what they mean, but approach it with very different levels of empathy on their own part. For example the main character Dr. Lightman, the expert on micro expressions and the head of his consulting company often comes off as harsh and not even slightly empathetic though he is able to see and read the expressions of others. His partner however is extremely empathetic with those around her which can be helpful, but also sometimes clouds her judgement of others and what their emotions mean.
Portfolio Suggestions from Dan Pink to Increase Empathy
One which I think is very important is to spend some of your time volunteering in your community, especially to benefit groups of people who are different than you. By spending time with people who are not like you, you can learn more about them and understand them better. Also you are connecting with others on emotional levels while helping others who need it. There are always opportunities which are just a Google search away. This is something that really helped me as a teenager to better understand and care about people with special needs. I used to babysit a girl just a few years younger than me who had severe disabilities. At first it was really difficult to create any connection with her and I was nervous before starting because I had no idea what to expect. As we continued to interact I learned so much more about her and others with similar needs by volunteering in special Olympics with her at our high school. I became must more comfortable through these experiences with those who are different than me, and it had a great deal to do with picking Psychology as my major for my undergrad degree and my pursuits since. It also encouraged me to volunteer at an academy for students with severe autism a year ago which furthered my understanding of people who are different and interest in pursuing ways to help them.
Another idea is to take an acting class or be involved in some kinds of role playing. This gives you the chance to try to get into the mindset of a character and increase your awareness of the emotions and thoughts of others. It is a way to literally walk in someone else's shoes. I was in drama from a very young age and continued all through high school, and do think that it really helped me to understand how others might be thinking or feeling because it is very similar to trying to get into a role.
Something that we almost all already do which can increase empathy is eavesdrop. By listening to others you are paying attention to the words and actions of those around you. You can also take this opportunity to imagine what they are thinking and feeling, or what you would think or feel if you were them. It is a trick that many writers use to create characters or develop them while exploring the minds of others, real or fictional. It is so interesting to see how much you can find out that you'd never expect about those around you. It's also a good way to learn to empathize with others instead of relying on the snap judgements you might make from first impressions. Once you take the time to listen to someone, you learn more about them and can understand them better.
Another idea is to take an acting class or be involved in some kinds of role playing. This gives you the chance to try to get into the mindset of a character and increase your awareness of the emotions and thoughts of others. It is a way to literally walk in someone else's shoes. I was in drama from a very young age and continued all through high school, and do think that it really helped me to understand how others might be thinking or feeling because it is very similar to trying to get into a role.
Something that we almost all already do which can increase empathy is eavesdrop. By listening to others you are paying attention to the words and actions of those around you. You can also take this opportunity to imagine what they are thinking and feeling, or what you would think or feel if you were them. It is a trick that many writers use to create characters or develop them while exploring the minds of others, real or fictional. It is so interesting to see how much you can find out that you'd never expect about those around you. It's also a good way to learn to empathize with others instead of relying on the snap judgements you might make from first impressions. Once you take the time to listen to someone, you learn more about them and can understand them better.