Corporate empathy may sound like an oxymoron, but more businesses are emphasizing the trait in developing managers and products. Cisco Systems Inc., Breakthru Beverage Group and Ford Motor Co., have invested in empathy training to improve management, retain employees, or guide design decisions.
EMPATHY EXERCISES
Tips for practicing empathy at work:
- Pay careful attention to colleagues’ emotions, not just their words
- Use phrases like “I hear that you’re feeling angry,” to recognize a person’s emotions without being judgmental
- Be authentic and sincere even when you disagree with someone’s feelings
- Use phrases that both acknowledge emotions and still hold employees accountable
By JOANN S. LUBLIN
