What is Empathy?
First, let us understand what empathy is. Simply put, “Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. It means putting on and running a mile in theie shoes. It is:
-The ability to identify and understand people’s emotions and feelings
-The ability to see things from the other side. Even if we don’t fully agree with the other person, we understand where they are coming from.
-Responding with kindness and compassion
Why is Empathy important in Communication?
In today’s world, being a good communicator is essential for survival and growth in any aspect of life – at work while handling clients or at home with your spouse. Knowing what to say, how to say it and how much to say will take you a long way. Empathy plays a crucial role in this :
- Building Bonds: Showing someone that you understand their feelings and emotions and respect their point of view builds trust in their minds, which leads to stronger relationships.
- Better listener: When you listen to someone with empathy, you pay attention to what is being said, and body language, listen without any interruptions and respond thoughtfully. All these habits improve your active listening skills.
- Solves Conflict: Understanding the perspectives and feelings of everyone involved helps in finding a solution that works for all.
- Improves Teamwork: When everyone in a team feels valued and appreciated, they will give their best performances. Communicating with empathy will help with this and foster a collaborative environment in the workplace.
- Personal Growth: Practicing Empathy helps you grow as a person. It broadens your horizons and increases your understanding of people so that you connect deeper. It also improves interpersonal skills(which is an important part of being a good communicator).
Tips for Communicating with Empathy:
- Know who you are communicating with. Who are they? What matters to them about your message? How will they react to your message? Etc.
- Be careful with your words. Words hold a lot of power and hence must be spoken with care. It is easy for misunderstandings to arise if the right words aren’t communicated.
- Be Patient. Even though you might be teeming with responses, let the other person complete their conversation.
- Do not interrupt! No one likes being interrupted when they are sharing anything(not even you!). Let people finish their train of thought
- Remember to use silence. Silence is an opportunity to gather one’s thoughts before responding. Allowing people to think before they respond shows them that you are a good and respectful listener
Communicating with empathy is a skill that you can develop with some practice. It is beneficial to develop the ability to see things from another person’s perspective, understand how they feel and respond accordingly, for your personal and professional life.