We were lucky to catch up with Jodie Leschuk recently and have shared our conversation below.
: Hi Jodie, so excited to have you with us today and we are really interested in hearing your thoughts about how folks can develop their empathy? In our experience, most folks want to be empathic towards others, but in a world where we are often only surrounded by people who are very similar to us, it can sometimes be a challenge to develop empathy for others who might not be as similar to us. Any thoughts or advice?
It was a couple of things.
First, it was instilled early on in life by my parents to be relational and to meet people where they are. My father was a minister in Midwest and frequently visited members of the congregation, often with the whole family in tow. We were exposed early on to the fact that life is not always easy and people come from all walks of life. Listening and letting them share not only their successes but their pain was an important part of life. Being in hospitals with someone with serious health issues, or being with someone when they pass away leaves and impression on you. Just being there is sometimes all someone needs.
As I grew older, I tended to gravitate towards jobs that allowed me to help or serve others. Right after college I found myself working in child welfare in the south suburbs of Chicago. This was almost a culture shock at the time as I wrestled with the weight of what had happened to the children on my caseload. Once again listening and trying to understand the child’s feelings and perspective was important. Even if you cannot understand something, being relational and being involved allows you to develop empathy for anyone’s circumstances.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am proud to own and operate the NinJo Group based in the Denver metro area. I work with companies of all sizes doing web design and digital marketing virtually across the country. My team is comprised of amazing women, and we work to create and maintain the digital footprint our clients envision. This can be through websites, social media marketing, podcasts, video content creation, blogs and more. We are proud to offer bilingual websites and social media marketing to our Spanish speaking clients looking to expand their brand in two languages.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
There are 3 qualities that I am continually working to build. If I could go back and teach my younger self anything on day one of my first job it would be:
1) Listen
Take the time to listen. Listen to your clients, your audience, your coworkers and your leadership. Growth happens there when you take the time to listen and learn. It is important to never assume you know it all.
2) Communicate effectively
Err on the side of overcommunication if you have to. In an online social culture, it is easy for details and tone to be left out or misrepresented. Sometimes it is important to pick up the phone or show up in person. In our post-pandemic environment, the value of meeting in person has taken a hit.
3) Lead well
If you are called to lead, be the calm in the chaos. Stay level headed and make sure that you are empowering others along the way. People may not remember the problems you fixed, but they will remember how you left them and led them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ninjogroup.com
- Instagram:www.instagram.com/ninjogroup
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ninjogroup
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodieleschuk/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ninjo-group-westminster?osq=NinJo+Group
