“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” – Mohsin Hamid
We believe empathy is one of the most important ingredients enabling effectiveness and so we connected with some amazing folks to ask them about the conditions that allowed them to develop into such empathic leaders.
Dr. Philomena Campbell
My empathy really comes from lived experience. I grew up with family members who had ADHD and learning differences, and I saw how hard they worked just to feel understood. Even as a kid, I wanted to help them make sense of what they were struggling with. Read more>>
Kathleen LeBlanc
I believe that most people are born with empathy, yet their path in life determines whether they will continue to grow in the ability to connect with others on an emotional level, or their circumstances will stunt their empathy, and thus they will become self-serving with little empathy to give… Read more>>
Taneka Gillard
There are many conditions that allowed me to develop empathy over 50+ years. I grew up in the New York Foster Care System. I’ve seen and experienced many things- good and bad. Eventually, I was taken in by a wonderful woman who set such a great example for me. Read more>>
Elizabeth Rischar
What a beautiful and poignant question! The conditions that allowed me to develop my empathy are deeply rooted in my experiences and the incredible people in my life. Reflecting back, my journey began with the gentle guidance of my pediatrician, who first recognized my empathic nature. Being the oldest daughter in a large family, I’ve always been surrounded by a rich tapestry of experiences. Read more>>
PHEN
You know, this is a very interesting question for me to answer. Growing up in a southern baptist church in rural New York, I definitely viewed the world in one very specific way throughout my early years and into my teens. Read more>>
Caitlin Bruce
What were the conditions that allowed you to develop your empathy? I think that by nature of being a creative person, you must develop empathy. Creativity is a way of looking at a project, looking at the world, and seeing it in a different light. Read more>>
