Empathy is hardwired into our brains – but that doesn’t mean we develop it well. This week we’ll look at the role empathy plays in leadership.
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Transcript
Good day and welcome to the leading with nice daily. My name is Mathieu Yuill, It’s Monday. So that means it’s time for a new topic. And this week we’re going to look at leadership and empathy. Now the first thing you need to know about empathy is that it’s actually hard-wired into our brains. We don’t learn empathy or have to be taught it. We are naturally and instinctively empathetic. Now how we develop and learn to use an empathy is a different story, but it is hardwired into our brain. That’s what the research and science shows us. The way empathy works is we actually see others that are in our close circle in our family, people that we love, our good friends, we actually see them in our brain the same way we see ourself. So when for example, we stub our toe and we have that reaction when we see your spouse or your brother or sister or your parents, somebody who you love, a good friend, when you see them stub your toe, we actually respond the exact same way as if we stubbed our toe ourselves.
And that’s how empathy works when it’s hardwired. That happens because we see those people is actually ourself, not ourselves, but actually as part of your being who you are, you have to be intentional about developing empathy so that you can include those people who may not be as close to you as others and treat them with the same level of empathy or a level of empathy that strong leadership requires. For more on this topic, visit leadingwithnice.com or we want to help you inspire others, develop loyalty and get results. Talk to you again tomorrow.