Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

How To Connect With People Using Empathy Strategies

Struggling to connect with the people around you? Empathy could be the solution. When we hear the word empathy used in day-to-day life, it usually reminds us of a certain memory or moment. A coworker making you feel heard, a relative forgiving a mistake, or a friend giving you thoughtful advice. These are all great examples of empathy at work. At their core, empathy strategies are forms of emotional connection that lighten the load of everyday life through kindness .

But developing empathy isn't only for those we express it to, it has benefits for us as well. Expressing empathy strengthens the relationships we have with the people in our lives. Think of a time when you were down on your luck, when you felt alone or even unseen. Do you remember the person who was there to listen? Most of us would answer yes to this question.

That's because showing empathy builds trust, promotes cooperation and even resolves conflicts. Are you having issues with a colleague or struggling to connect with a friend? Being more empathetic might be the skill that makes the difference.

But how can you start being more empathetic? In this article we’ll cover 3 strategies on how to develop empathy. They include:

• Listening Actively
• Perspective Taking
• Self Education

By the end of the article, you’ll understand the value of having an empathy strategy.

Active Listening: A Great Way To Cultivate Empathy
What's the quickest way to start developing empathy? The answer is- active listening. Active listening, also referred to as empathetic listening, is similar to the traditional form yet with a few caveats. For starters, it goes past simply hearing the words someone is saying.Active listening pushes us to invest more into the speaker by being present, recognizing verbal and non verbal cues and validating their concerns. Listeners participate in the conversation, but active listeners help guide it.Here are a few quick ways you can improve your active listening skills.

Paraphrasing
If you're not understanding something clearly, say it in your own words, to confirm you're on the same page.

Reflecting
Take a moment to acknowledge and validate the speaker's feelings. This demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence and will encourage the speaker to share more.

Give Feedback
Constructive responses let the speaker know you're invested in their success and happiness.

These are all great examples of how to cultivate empathy through the power of active listening.

Sharing Perspectives: An Important Way To Improve Empathy
It may not be easy, but putting yourself in someone else's shoes can go a long way. By sharing someone else’s perspective, you'll see the world through their eyes. It can give you valuable insight about their challenges, fears, frustrations, as well as other feelings. This insight also allows us to understand why these feelings exist.

Sharing perspectives is a lot like sharing eyeglasses. The world might become harder to navigate, depending on which ones you try. The next time someone tells you they're having troubles at home or stress at work, ask yourself, "How would I want people to communicate with me? Or "What advice would I want to hear right now"?

Asking these types of questions will change how you connect with the people around you. It’s also a great exercise on how to improve emotional empathy.



Educating Ourselves: Build Empathy Through Knowledge
It's not always easy to understand every problem someone is having. You may lack context, experience or the ability to relate. What if you've never lost your job or experienced the pain of a divorce? This is where education comes in.

Education can be a valuable resource to bridge the gap between what we need to know and the people we want to help. It's an empathy building tool that gives us a chance to understand the full scope of an issue someone is having. That understanding can reshape our perspectives and help provide constructive feedback.

Here are a few ways you can educate yourself to increase empathy:

Seek Out Educational Resources
There are endless online, and offline, resources to help understand people's circumstances. Books, courses and forums are a few great examples that offer perspective and improve empathy .

Volunteer
Volunteering gives us a chance to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. These interactions can provide a lot of insight into the challenges people are facing.

Seek Out A Professional
Licensed professionals are great at teaching empathy and sharing information about navigating different situations. They can also provide you with more advanced empathy techniques .



Conclusion
Empathy is a skill set that often goes unpracticed. But it rarely goes unnoticed.When we practice empathy we build bridges between people, rather than tear them down. It's not easy though. It involves active listening, perspective sharing and the willingness to educate yourself. But with time, empathy can transform the relationships we have with the people around us. Friendships can be rebuilt, families can be saved, and colleges can begin to trust. If you're prepared to put in the work, time, and effort, developing empathy can be life changing.

If you would like to learn more about developing empathy, check out our Continuum of Civic Engagement.