A Few Quick Thoughts About Empathy

1) Empathy and sympathy are not the same thing. Sympathy means being affected by the feelings of others. Empathy means making the effort to understand why others think and feel the way they do.

2) Empathizing with someone doesn't necessarily mean you're agreeing with him; 

3) Empathizing doesn't necessarily mean you have to do it the other person's way; 

4) Empathizing gives you a chance to better understand the other person's interests and perspectives so you can potentially find common ground; 

5) Empathizing shows that you care, which in turn creates trust; 

6) Even if you don't pursue the direction the other person wants, if the person feels that you at least gave her a hearing and took her interests into account, she'll be more likely to accept your decision; 

7) Ultimately, as the leader, you have the final say. But if you take action with others' views and interests in mind, you'll be more likely to win their commitment (rather than just compliance) - which means that they'll be more likely to go the extra mile for you and the organization. 

8) Empathy is a prerequisite for influence, because we need to know what will motivate a person to change before we can take action that will lead him to change.