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Get connected with practical empathy and BIG talk
Do you ever feel like unplugging from social media and turning off the news?
There’s a lot going on in the world and I thought this might be a good moment to return to a discussion of empathy. I’d like to share with you a couple of articles – and approaches – that you might find useful.
If you’ve attended one of my empathy keynotes, you’ll likely have heard me talk about compassion as ‘empathy in action’.
Why is this concept useful during times such as these? Well, when we over-identify with the suffering of another person or group, we’re likely to experience ‘empathic distress’, which can undermine our ability to think clearly and come up with solutions.
If we instead adopt an attitude of compassion, this can lead us to a more useful set of actions where, instead of feeling impotent and stressed out, we try to do something about what we’re seeing.
When we’re stuck at a dead-end and feeling powerless, even the act of educating ourselves on a topic, or donating funds to charity, can help us feel more empowered and provide a sense of hope.
You can read more about it in this article.
So what about in the workplace?
Employee Recognition provider, OC Tanner, refers to workplace empathy in action, or compassion, as ‘Practical Empathy’.
Their 6 elements of practical empathy include:
- Focus on the person
- Seek understanding
- Listen to learn
- Embrace perspectives
- Take supportive action
- Respect boundaries
When leaders and organisations are perceived as empathetic, employees are more fulfilled at work, are more satisfied with the culture and want to stay longer at the organisation.
Behaviours such as listening, providing context and active support, and giving recognition, result in employees trusting their leader and feeling a stronger sense of connection to the organisation.
https://www.octanner.com/global-culture-report/2024-practical-empathy
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES?
On my recent long journey to speak at events in Manila, I found time to listen to a few audiobooks.
I was inspired by ‘That Peckham Boy: Growing up, getting out and giving back’ by Kenny Imafidon. From being a teenage drug dealer, to accused of murder, to running a political think tank and speaking about societal inequality in the House of Commons, there were plenty of real life twists and turns.
‘Please unsubscribe. Thanks!’ by Julio Vincent Gambuto did a good job of making the case for being more intentional about subscription purchases and social media. However, if cursing offends you, this book might not be your thing.
As an introvert, I’m a big fan of the work of Susan Cain, who wrote Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, more than ten years ago, so I really enjoyed the insights in her audiobook ‘A Quiet Life in 7 Steps’.
Last week I was in Jersey speaking about Empathy to leaders and executives in Finance. I also attended Women in Data’s flagship event and gave a talk about the power of asking. I’m so grateful to have opportunities to spread the word on these important topics.
INSPIRE INCLUSION
In the last newsletter I mentioned that we’re gathering resources to help some of you work with resistance to DEI initiatives. If you’d like to watch some highlights from one of my recent talks on the topic, please take a look.
You might also find this article useful.
https://www.hrvisionevent.com/content-hub/5-ways-to-overcome-resistance-to-dei-initiatives/
COMMUNICATION CORNER
Do you enjoy small talk?
Not everyone does, which is why the trend towards “Big talk” is very exciting.
Big talk is about using language that encourages deeper connections from the outset.
According to People Management, examples include:
- Small talk: “How are you?” Big talk: “How are you feeling?”
- Small talk: “How has your week been?” Big talk: “What has worked well for you this week ?”
- Small talk: “Have you had a tough week?” Big talk: “What do you need help with?”
- Small talk: “It’s great, isn’t it?” Big talk: “What is your opinion on?”
All these Big talk examples support the questioner in developing more empathy for the speaker; the responses facilitate genuine connection and deeper understanding.
This website https://www.makebigtalk.com/ has plenty more examples and you can even access an app and card games to make it more fun.
I hope you have an excellent rest of your week 🙂
Shola
P.S. Here are a few things you might want to do after reading this newsletter:
- Book a call at https://calendly.com/sholakaye/15 to discuss keynotes and training for your organisation
- Request our brochure – email heather@sholakaye.net
- Check out our website for a partial list of Shola’s keynotes at https://sholakaye.com/speaking
Hi, I’m Shola and I help you create a people-first culture. My work sits at the intersection of Inclusion, Communication & Emotional Intelligence.
My keynote talks and workshops help your leaders and employees create high-performing work environments where people feel a sense of belonging and psychological safety. Sessions are high energy, interactive, and every participant walks away with at least one practical framework for connecting and collaborating more effectively.
Sound good to you? Please reach out and let’s discuss your next event! 🙂🎤✨