What is Empathy and Why is it Important?

Empathy is defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. In the complex world we live in it is increasingly important to be able to empathize with others in order to understand them and improve our relationships. When you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes it becomes easier to understand their point of view as it might be different from your own.

Having the ability to empathize with others whether they are more different or similar to you is very important. Empathy is crucial when it comes to DEI efforts. In our lives and social circles it is so easy to be surrounded by people who have similar backgrounds and attitudes to you, but this can lead to empathy deficits. In “How to Be More Empathetic” The New York Times details different ways of practicing empathy:

1. Talking to strangers: getting to know someone different from yourself is an easy way to open yourself up to empathetic conversations.

2. Walking in someone else’s shoes: taking part in experiences that are different from your own can open your eyes to the way of living of another person.

3. Working with others for a shared purpose: volunteer work is a great way to meet new people who share a similar interest (volunteering), or even doing a group activity with strangers like playing sports.

It is important to know where you’re coming from and acknowledge that in order to have empathy towards others. Acknowledging your own biases must be done first in order to get past them.