Empathy/Social Awareness - Why Is It So Important?

"When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That's when you can get more creative in solving problems." Stephen Covey

Empathy and Social Awareness are two sides of the same coin. According to emotional intelligence expert Robert Jerus, "The empathy/social awareness reflects awareness and consideration of the feelings and responses of others. The ability to empathize and maintain sensitivity to the moods and emotions of others allows for superior intuition and connection. One cannot gain a comprehensive level of social awareness without empathy. To gain a superior intuition and connection with others, one must have a good understanding of their feelings and emotions.

The lack of empathy and social awareness hinders the ability to connect with others and collaborate with them on the highest levels possible. The diversity in America and the world bring levels of complexity in connecting and collaborating to solve some of major challenges faced by all. There has been a widespread push for "Diversity and Inclusion" in all sectors over the past couple of decades, however without empathy that push will be minimized.

Increasing our level of empathy can be very helpful in getting others to open up and share issues they may be dealing with, that might seem overwhelming. Too many attempt to mask their feelings and emotions because they believe others don't care or don't understand. Developing empathetic skills gives us the ability to help others distribute burdens they might attempt to carry alone. Empathy helps us become better listeners and lets others know we have compassion for them and the matter they may be facing.

To become a better communicator, we would all do well to become more empathetic in our interactions with others. Empathy and social awareness go hand in hand. Increasing our skill set in these areas adds value to both our communications and interactions with others.