It’s Not Personal. It’s Just Business: Understanding The Value of Empathy in Teams

Every business decision affects people. Personal relationships are critical to successful organizations.

People can be reluctant to express any type of emotion in the workplace because ‘it’s just business.’ In an organization without empathy the focus is often on achieving goals no matter what the cost to employees. This is harmful to the wellbeing of employees, leadership, and the success of the organization.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself into someone else’s shoes, to be aware of their feelings and understand their needs. In the workplace, empathic people demonstrate care, understanding and respect for their co-workers.

An empathic leadership style can make everyone feel like a team, which leads to increased productivity, morale and team cohesiveness. Having empathy for your clients helps to build trust and strengthen relationships, which results in repeat business.

In this session you will learn:

What role empathy plays in the workplace and why it matters.

The three primary traits that an empathic person exhibits.

How to manage boundaries with empathy.

How leaders can encourage a culture of empathy in the workplace.

This will be an informative session with practical tips you can apply in your work and personal life right away.

Transcript

2. Introductions
3. Introductions Sarah Wall Senior Project Manager 
 http://imagexmedia.com/ sarah@imagexmedia.com Yoga and Meditation Teacher
 http://body-mind-spirit-coach.com My story…
4. Life Reboot Book liferebootbook.com
5. What to expect • What is empathy and why it matters. • What role empathy plays in the workplace. • How to manage boundaries with empathy. • How leaders can encourage a culture of empathy in the workplace. • Pauses for reflection. • There will be time for questions at the end.
6. During this session We will aim to: • Create a comfortable environment. • Be honest with yourself during the reflections. • Notice whatever comes up, refrain from self-judgment. • And, please put your devices on silent mode!
7. Why Empathy?
8. “Nobody cares how much you know 
 until they know how much you care.” 
 ~ Theodore Roosevelt
9. The value of empathy • Understand others. • Develop closer relationships. • Build trust within teams. • Open and inclusive environment. • Boost morale. • Happy employees are typically more productive employees!
10. What is Empathy?
11. Empathy is... • To understand and share the feelings of another person. • Or, being able to put yourself in their shoes. • A habit that is a learned skill, and it’s also innate. Empathy is the ability to put yourself into someone else’s shoes, to be aware of their feelings and understand their needs. In the workplace, empathic people demonstrate care, understanding and respect for their co-workers.
12. The science of empathy Innate: The anterior insular cortex allows us identify and feel the experiences of another. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121024175240.htm
13. The habit of empathy Habit or learned skill: Certain mindfulness practices can help you to develop or increase your empathy. • Loving-kindness meditation • Forgiveness • Compassion
14. Exercise: Reflection Meditation: close your eyes. • Think about a time when someone truly listened to you 
 when you shared a problem. • How did that make you feel?
15. What empathy is not Empathy comes with an appropriate response. It’s not about: • Sharing your own experiences. • Fixing someone’s problem. • Silver-lining - “at least…”
16. Three traits of an empathic person • Listening - listen more than you speak, be present. • Openness - challenge your prejudices, put aside assumptions. • Understanding - have curiosity about others, ask for clarification.
17. Sympathy and Compassion
18. Empathy, Sympathy and Compassion Empathy is often confused with sympathy and compassion. • Empathy means that you feel what a person is feeling. • Sympathy means you can understand what the person is feeling. • Compassion is the willingness to relieve the suffering of another.
19. Exercise: Self-inquiry Meditation: close your eyes. • What is the first, smallest step I can take to become more empathic today?
20. How to manage boundaries • If you are frequently feeling the pain of others, you may experience overwhelm or burnout – ‘’empathy fatigue”. • A common problem for caregivers, health care providers, psychologist, vets, and others. • Manage with awareness, self-care, and seek support.
21. Empathy in the Workplace
22. What role does empathy play in the workplace? • We care for our co-workers, clients, and greater community. • Allows us to feel safe with our failures because we won’t be blamed for them. • Encourages leaders to understand the root cause behind poor performance. • Allows leaders to help struggling employees improve and excel.
23. Why aren’t we being more empathetic at work? • Empathy takes work! • It means putting others ahead of yourself. • It’s not always easy to understand what an employee or co-worker thinks or feels. • Many organizations are focused on achieving goals, no matter what the cost to employees.
24. Summary • What empathy is and why it matters. • What role empathy plays in the workplace. • How to manage boundaries with empathy. • How leaders can encourage a culture of empathy in the workplace.
25. Exercise: Next Steps • Write down/discuss ways you can help to create a culture of empathy within your organization.
26. Questions
27. •https://www.facebook.com/imagexmedia •https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/271142/ •@imagex_media •https://www.facebook.com/bodymindspiritcoach •https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sarah-wall-7a530b105