“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.

Crystal McGaffin

I believe my empathy stems from a deep, personal understanding of what it feels like to be without—without love, without support, without kindness.

Life presents us with moments that can feel impossibly heavy. In those lowest points, it’s often the smallest gestures—a kind word, a helping hand, the presence of someone who cares—that can pull us back from the edge. Those moments stay with us. Read More>>

Yinglin Zhu

I think that design work itself provides me with plenty of opportunities to exercise empathy. I am also a person who pays close attention to the needs of people around me. When faced with the needs and problems of my friends, I will listen patiently and do my best to give feedback and help.

I also maintain the habit of being an ‘observer’ in my daily life. Every day when I walk on the road or sit in a cafe, I pay attention to the behaviour and emotions of the people around me, and pay attention to whether they encounter any obstacles when receiving services or using products.  Read More>>

Allen Triplett

Growing up with many family members with different mental health disorders was a challenge, however understanding their behavior and utilizing the empathy trait I learned in childhood from my grandparents, taught me to always put yourself in someone’s shoes instead of passing quick judgment. Empathy is becoming a more scarce commodity these days, however I see it more common in the creative community in my personal experiences. Read More>>

Alexandra Tatis-Cummings

Honestly, It all started in my mother’s womb. My dad chose to abandon my mother, who was pregnant with me, along with my two older sisters. Picture an immigrant woman, pregnant, with no support or resources, forced into survival mode. She had to put aside her shock, betrayal, and emotional pain to provide for us. I was absorbing her struggle. The transition from housewife to warrior, not only for herself but for her children and unborn child. Imagine the energy that formed within her, and how I felt that energy as I grew within her. Read More>>

Jordan McGraw

I believe everyone has the capacity to develop empathy. In the most traditional sense, a game designer’s job is to cultivate and refine it. A good designer must understand and anticipate the feelings, expectations, and motivations of their players. Like any skill, developing empathy takes deliberate practice. Read More>>

Betsy

I was a privileged kid, never wanting for anything. My every need was taken care of, I grew up in an upper middle class family, enjoying the happiness and blessings that I thought every child had. I could read, write, play sports, lived in a beautiful home- my college was paid for and I started my adult life with a ton of support. Something I thought everyone had. I had no idea about those who struggled with mental illness, disabilities, poverty and most certainly not developmental disabilities or autism. I looked at those people as the “other”.  Read More>>

Nicholas Nizer IV

Empathy isn’t something you’re just born with. It’s shaped by experiences, the people you meet, and the challenges you witness firsthand. Coming from a background in nursing, I’ve had the privilege and heartbreak of seeing patients go through some of the hardest moments of their lives. But what really deepened my empathy was seeing how those struggles affected their families. It’s one thing to care for a patient, but it’s another to look into the eyes of their loved ones and feel their worry, hope, and grief. Read More>>

Daryna Ishchuk

Reminiscing about my past, I think I have always been quite an empathetic person but have never been able to actually take it for what it is. I always confused it with being too emotional and getting into this war with myself, trying to be more strict and cold-hearted. That changed when the actual war started.  Read More>>