“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus for creating change.” – Max Carver
We think Max Carver got it right and that if we truly care about community building and making positive changes in the world, we have to invest in learning about how to become even more empathic as empathy is at the heart of true understanding. We asked some deeply empathic leaders to share their perspectives below.
Lea Turner
I didn’t set out to become more empathetic. In fact, for much of my life, I thought I had already developed that skill. I listened to people’s stories, nodded at the right moments, offered helpful advice, and even threw in a good Bible verse. But life has a way of pulling back the curtain on what we think we know. Read more >>>
Jasmine Janea
I saw how cruel society could be without it. I was always called the humanitarian, the compassionate one, the sensitive one growing up. I used to see that as a weakness but I’ve seen that life can make many callous + being able to keep your heart soft + emotionally aware in this society is a rare quality. Read more >>>
Lindsay
I didn’t learn empathy from textbooks or inspirational quotes. I learned it in the quiet — the kind of quiet you only hear after heartbreak, loss, or the moment you realize no one is coming to save you. Read more >>>
Jean Trebek Alison Martin
Alison: Developing empathy hinged on early childhood environments and incidents for both Jean and I. My father had been left on a doorstep as an infant and so he felt constantly connected to the deeper, more vulnerable parts of the humans that he met. Read more >>>
Victor Vellon
Anyone can be sympathetic. Empathy involved more work. More feelings. More layers. You have to be willing to look beyond the surface. Someone may have suffered a loss or feel a certain way. You could just I’m sorry you feel that way and move on. You could offer a suggestion opposite of what you’re seeking as a solution. In my childhood this happened to me. Read more >>>
Leah Haberer
Coping with the emotional and physical stress of a cancer diagnosis affects our self-identity, and it can devastate our self-esteem. My salon, Road to Regrowth, has a hair extension program designed to help people cope with the effects that chemotherapy treatment can have on their appearance and hair care needs. Read more >>>
Tina Braddock, APRN
My empathy has been shaped by a lifetime of experiences that demanded resilience, perspective, and heart. I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was just three years old, which became my first lesson in grief, strength, and compassion. Read more >>>
Dashun Mack
I think my empathy really comes from being an athlete my entire life. I played basketball and volleyball, and I know firsthand how stressful it can get, worrying about playing time, performance, and even tying your self-worth to how you play. Read more >>>
