From the course: Empathy at Work

The importance of empathy

From the course: Empathy at Work

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The importance of empathy

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- I recently reviewed a 2019 survey from Businessolver, and the results were astounding. 82% of employees said they'd leave their current job to get more of it. 72% of CEOs said their companies needed to get better at it. And 78% of employees said they'd work harder if they received it. What is it? It's empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and feel what other people are experiencing. It's knowing when someone is excited or angry or frustrated, and it's the ability to share their feelings. Whether you say someone is empathic or empathetic, both are correct, by the way. Empathy is a conscious process. It's something we choose to do. And it's something we can get better at doing every day. Empathy is a skill. Developing that skill can unlock some wonderful potential. For example, doctors with higher empathy have seen better outcomes with their patients. Empathy training can reduce prejudice and bullying in children. Empathy can also enhance your career. Let's face it, talent and work effort are important, but being someone your colleagues want to work with, someone they ask to have on their team is what really opens doors to professional opportunities. I'm Doctor Carolyn Goerner. I've been teaching college students and executives for more than 30 years. And I've seen a lot of people struggle to form meaningful and lasting relationships. More to the point, I've worked hard to develop my own empathy. It isn't something that came easily for me. So I'm excited to share from lots of outside research and my own experience ways you can become more empathetic. So would you like stronger work relationships? Do you want to be more productive and make your job more enjoyable? Then join me to discover how you can enhance your empathy.

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