“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.
Tarryn Hoff
The conditions that allowed me to develop my empathy were rooted in years of working one-on-one with people from all walks of life—each with their own struggles, stories, and motivations. As a personal trainer and exercise psychologist, I learned early on that success in health and fitness isn’t just about physical strength; it’s about understanding the emotional journey behind each client’s effort. Read More>>
Ali Gordon
Nothing sharpens your empathy and ability to sympathize and connect with others quite like going through some terrible times. I lost both of my parents — they passed within a year and a half of each other, and I stopped everything to assist as a caretaker during their illness. My whole life was upended by their deaths. I put work, creativity, and relationships on pause. Read More>>
David Soop
My self-esteem and confidence are really the natural outcome of the foundation my mother gave me from the moment my sister, my brother, and I were born. She was the opposite of a helicopter parent. She instinctively understood that children will protect and look out for themselves. Read More>>
Leslie Benson
Empathy comes from experience. You can be born with a kind heart and compassion, but true empathy for the human condition grows from witnessing and experiencing pain, loss, and trauma. Read More>>
Pioneer Winter
I think empathy started forming in me early. My mom had Lupus, and I learned to read her body before I could read words. Some mornings she’d be dancing in the kitchen, playing music too loud, laughing like she didn’t know what pain was. Read More>>
Alexandra Backlund
My empathy truly began to take shape while working with Estée Lauder Companies. There’s something deeply human about standing behind a beauty counter , witnessing people in their most vulnerable, authentic moments. Read More>>
