“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.
Rachel Larkin
The conditions that allowed me to develop my empathy were rooted in my childhood experiences, which later enriched my travels as an adult. Growing up in a small, rural town in Massachusetts, my early years were spent working on horse farms. Read more>>
Marleen Salters
The development of my empathy has been shaped by a combination of personal experiences, upbringing, and intentional practices. Growing up, my family emphasized the importance of respecting others and treating people with kindness. My Interactions with people from various backgrounds and cultures has broadened my perspective of different life experiences. Read more>>
Isabelle Merlo
When I was a little girl, I was quirky and had difficulty making friends. This imposter syndrome that came from a real place of being excluded and made fun of when I was young, lingered into my early adulthood until I decided it wouldn’t define me anymore. I guess, even in my young adult years, I sometimes feel like that little kid again who yearns to be accepted and understood, but doesn’t know how to mold herself into the ‘normal box’ everyone else seems to fit into. Read more>>
Candace Thomas
I’m a survivor of four brain surgeries. From November of 2019 to September 2020, every 3 months, I was undergoing surgery to have a cyst drained on my pituitary gland. Three times through my nose and once they cut my head. Read more>>
Duryea Paige
Growing up in the unforgiving environment of Detroit, empathy was a rare commodity amidst the harsh realities. Despite the prevailing notion that empathy was a luxury, it was within the confines of my home, under the guidance of my stepfather and the support of my mother, that I learned its true value. My stepfather, though toughened by the city’s challenges, instilled in me the importance of looking out for the less fortunate. Read more>>
Ben Smlatic
As I’ve started directing more work, something that I noticed is that my crew and cast thank me for being quick, cordial and most of all, nice. Always leaves me surprised but I think part of the reason that I get these comments is because of my start in the business. I grinded as a PA, worked the free jobs, the low paying jobs, the 18 hour day jobs. Read more>>
