Empathy – Why it Matters

Most people know that empathy is a positive value that one should practice, but it is seldom a priority in their lives. Studies suggest that 98% of people possess the ability to empathize while the rest of the 2% include psychopaths, sociopaths, and narcissists.

These exceptional people lack the ability to understand another human being. So why not become more empathic while you can still understand and relate to the feelings and emotions of people around you?

While a lot of us are capable of empathy, we very seldom consciously practice it in our everyday life. In this post, we will learn what empathy really is and how you can use it to create better personal and workplace relationships.

 

What is Empathy

Simply put, empathy refers to the human ability to understand things and situations from the perspective of another person. It gives you the ability to acknowledge their feelings and emotions as well as understand the reasons behind them, regardless of whether you have actually been in that situation.

Despite its need, it is quite uncommon. To define empathy better, researchers and psychologists categorize it into three main types.

 

The Three Types

Cognitive Empathy: Cognitive empathy is also known as empathic accuracy. It refers to a person’s ability to perceive the contents of another person’s mind along with their feelings and emotions. It allows you to work out what they might be thinking through understanding their feelings.

Emotional Empathy: Also called affective empathy, this type of empathy gives one the ability to share the emotions and feelings of someone. This means that you begin to feel the same way as another person that you empathize with. For instance, seeing another person sad would make you sad as well.

Compassionate Empathy: Compassionate empathy is another name for empathic concern. It is similar to emotional empathy, allowing you to share another person’s feelings. However, compassionate empathy occurs without the assumption that another person’s emotions are your own. This kind of empathy allows you to use your emotional intelligence and respond effectively.

 

Importance of Empathy

Empathy allows us to understand the feelings and emotions of another person so that we can respond to the situation appropriately. Research studies suggest that empathy is deeply associated with social behavior and has the potential to enhance it. For example, empathizing can lead to a helping behavior in most situations.

Here is why you should build more empathy and practice it more often to improve your personal and professional relationships.

 

In Personal Relationships

Our personal relationships include our close family members and friends. These relationships are important to survive as they become a great source of moral and emotional support. Healthy relationships with our parents, siblings, friends, and spouse require care, nurturing, and understanding.

It is very likely that your familial and romantic relationships, and even friendships, will soon languish if they lack empathy. Relationships suffer and end when the people on end are only mindful of their own personal interests.

It is important that use your ability of empathy to understand and look at your relationship from the other person’s perspective. Oftentimes, relationships no longer feel fulfilling. It is better to practice empathy and understand the other person’s idea of your relationship.

You must understand that each person carries their own opinions, struggles, and experiences, so it is impossible for people to think exactly alike. Other times, you must also empathize with your partner/parent/friend/sibling in difficult times when they might need your emotional support.

 

Empathy In Professional Relationships

For most part, your workplace is where a team of people comes together and works towards an ultimate goal. It is true that many people put in their share of work to achieve a single result, which brings them personal benefits in return.

Projects require teamwork, meaning you get in touch with your peers as you give in your individual efforts. So, it is important to create a relationship with your co-workers to work as a team. While these professional relationships are quite different from personal ones, they still require just as much empathy.

It is important to get along and relate to the people working along with you to create a healthy working environment and build meaningful relationships. A lack of empathy and understanding can make it much easier to get into disagreements and disputes. This leads to an unpleasant work environment that is also not as effective and successful.

Oftentimes, bosses and managers that lack empathy push employees to work beyond the healthy limit or subject them to unjustness. So, it is crucial to practice empathic communication at your workplace to avoid negativity and achieve better results.

 

Bottom Line

Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s feelings and emotions and respond appropriately. It is important to build personal and professional relationships on empathy to avoid fallouts and disputes.