“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.
Todd Crandell
This is a great question. I remember being homeless, as a consequence of my addiction, and finding myself in a soup kitchen starving for food. As I looked around at all the people standing in line- in need and desperation, I wondered what their stories were. I knew what landed me there and it made everyone be on an equal playing field. Read more>>
Caroline Gehrke
I can remember being empathetic from a very young age, as far back as I can remember, actually. I would cry when I saw other people cry, but I would also cry in Pixar movies. Maybe I was just always complex, but I would also argue that my empathy grew out of my biggest challenges. Read more>>
Sterling McKinley
Reflecting on my early years in school, I realize how much they helped me develop a sense of empathy. It’s not well-known, but I struggled academically during my early years. I failed kindergarten, and until the 7th grade, I couldn’t score higher than a C. However, these challenges taught me a valuable lesson in empathy. Through my difficulties, I learned to understand and relate to others who are also going through tough times. Read more>>
Cara H. Cadwallader
Nineteen years old and I am working as a counselor at an all-girls summer camp in upstate New York. On lunch break one day, one of my peers received bad news that had her distraught. Hysterically crying and lost in a sea of emotion, I thought I would offer her my shoulder but, when I did, I felt awkward and self-conscious. Read more>>
TONYA WILLIAMS
In my beginning I was raised by some amazing, compassionate women who showed love and compassion to others around them. Which in turn taught me how to display the same emotions. Read more>>
Nia Rincon
I come from a single-mother household and was raised by her and my grandparents. I was the eldest girl in my family and spoiled beyond reason. Despite the outpouring of love and support, I always felt a little…off. My younger family members were always quick to hush when discussing their dads near me, and doing family tree projects in school always seemed harder for me than for everyone else. Read more>>
Dr. Noah H, Kersey, Ph.D.
The intense feelings I experienced as a child stayed deep inside me allowing me to feel it in others which helped me to be more sensitive to my patients. Read more>>
