7 Elements of Empathy

Posted on April 22, 2012

You have had a down and out day and the events of the day are still unfolding and the people you have come across
during some of those vulnerable moments makes you feel that the world can be a punishing place. You feel unsafe to
expose your feelings to others during some of those moments.
You almost feel you are falling apart, and you need your feelings to be met with love, understanding and acceptance
without judgement.
What are you looking for in such an impasse ?
Isnt that Empathy?
Little things that Matter
Lalita Raman
Transitions, People, Leadership and Life
Empathy is the ability of putting oneself into the mental shoes of another person to mirror connect and understand the
emotions and feelings (joy or sadness) experienced by that person at that moment in time.
Empathy involves 7 elements in my view
1. Emotional intelligence is the cognitive ability involving traits and social skills that facilitate interpersonal behavior. It
involves understanding emotions including non verbal signals, body language and facial expressions. Responding
appropriately to the emotions of others is key to facilitating insight.
2. Mindset Staying human and having the right attitude to connect to another person at that moment when they
need you the most.
3. Present You are present and in the now. It is not about the past or future but being aware about another persons
feeling at that moment.
4. Attention Demonstrate your interest in the person through your body language, facial expression, and gestures to
encourage someone to continue speaking. Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your
attention ~Jim Rohn
5. To Listen - You listen to understand rather than respond. Sometimes, in order to elicit more of a response from the
other party, you need to pause and say nothing.
6. Help Encourage Use supportive comments to get someone to continue to open up. Gestures like nodding your
head, appropriate facial expressions, eye contact can accompany, I see, Really, or Oh no to provide the necessary
encouragement for the person to continue to release the emotional turmoil they are going through.
7. You Recognize Feelings: Feelings reveal critical aspects of what is important to a person. Identifying an impasse by
Saying, I see that you are angry or I am sorry but something seems to be upsetting you, are ways you can bring
someones feelings out into the open.
ONE THOUGHT ON 7 ELEMENTS OF EMPATHY
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In Summary, by empathizing you show that you care, you are listening and you are concerned of the other persons
ideas, feelings and how it has impacted the others perception.
Do you have any experiences to share or views on what you think is Empathy? Please feel free to comment. Thank
you.
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This entry was posted in Habits, Leadership & Personal Development, Relationships and tagged connect,
Empathy, Feelings, Help, judgement, listen, Love, Perception, Silence by Lalita Raman. Bookmark the
permalink [http://lalitaraman.com/2012/04/22/7-elements-of-empathy/] .
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