What Is Empathy?

The term empathy is used to describe a wide range of experiences. Emotion researchers generally
define empathy as the ability to sense other peoples emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine
what someone else might be thinking or feeling.
Contemporary researchers often differentiate between two types of empathy: Affective empathy
refers to the sensations and feelings we get in response to others emotions; this can include
mirroring what that person is feeling, or just feeling stressed when we detect anothers fear or
anxiety. Cognitive empathy, sometimes called perspective taking, refers to our ability to identify
and understand other peoples emotions. Studies suggest that people with autism spectrum disorders
have a hard time empathizing.
Empathy seems to have deep roots in our brains and bodies, and in our evolutionary history.
Elementary forms of empathy have been observed in our primate relatives, in dogs, and even in rats.
Empathy has been associated with two different pathways in the brain, and scientists have speculated
that some aspects of empathy can be traced to mirror neurons, cells in the brain that fire when we
observe someone else perform an action in much the same way that they would fire if we performed
that action ourselves. Research has also uncovered evidence of a genetic basis to empathy, though
studies suggest that people can enhance (or restrict) their natural empathic abilities.
Having empathy doesnt necessarily mean well want to help someone in need, though its often a
vital first step toward compassionate action.
Empathy is not sympathy or pity. Empathy is the ability to understand and share someone else's
feelings from their perspective. Its about putting yourself authentically in someone elses
shoes. Asking questions from their point of view and not yours, pausing, listening and thinking about
the opportunities / issues from that persons position.
A lack of empathy can be at the heart of many of the mismatched power struggles we hear about in
the news. Imagine if you could authentically live in someone elses shoes. Prior to acting, or
assuming you understand why they are doing something. Empathy is the feeling that if someone
would just take a moment to understand things from the other side it could change opinions faster,
and create dramatic positive impact.
Empathy has a crucial place in business and it is the ability to think outside your company to think
like your customers, to think about your role outside your organization. I believe that empathy can be
mutually beneficial not only to an organizations karma but also to their bottom line.

SOCIAL SKILLS
Social kills, often also referred to as soft skills or people skills, are personal skills and abilities.
Besides technical knowledge, they are crucial success factors at work. Or, in other words: technical
expertise alone is not enough. For the requirements placed on employees and managers also change,
especially in times of transition and globalization. The demand for employees with social skills is high
among companies. Especially in the race for survival in the market, no company can afford to dispense
with quality in customer care and service, and lag behind in differentiating itself from the competition
through these. To do so, companies need employees with excellent social skills.
What does this involve? Social skills can be classified into the following
categories:

General social skills: Emotional intelligence, flexibility, commitment, ability to

handle stress, willingness to learn, readiness to perform, openness, analytical
thinking, creativity

Self-management skills: Personal responsibility, self-confidence, discipline,

ability to criticize oneself, self-management

General skills in dealing with others: Respect for others, mutual regard,
tolerance, empathy, ability to give and take criticism, communication skills,
team capabilities

Special skills in dealing with others: Managerial skills, negotiation skills,

selling and marketing skills, presentation skills, intercultural skills