by Lee Massaro www.leemassaro.com
Heightened emotions are all around us. How do we deal with them? Do we want to avoid the discomfort they create, to shut them down, or pretend they are nonexistent? As a coach, parent, leader, friend, or co-worker, we often find ourselves in a position of wanting to do something to help the person who is swirling. The effective demonstration of empathy can empower the person we are helping and ourselves to move forward together. While many feel the capacity for empathy is something you either have or not, the ability to voice empathy is actually a skill you can hone.
In my chapter, “Be a Better Coach with Effective Empathy” in Coaching Perspectives VII, I explore common pitfalls and proven techniques for improving this highly important communication tool of empathy. Learn about turning judgment to a generous outward focus, the skill of emotion naming, the potency of reflection, and the difference between having empathy and demonstrating it for the benefit of the client.
I am a Certified Master Coach and often work with executives and front-line leaders in the healthcare industry, where the transformative power of empathy is at work every day. My practical approach to the subject can be applied in any aspect of work and life.
