“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.

Kristen Karasek

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness in my 20’s helped me to develop a sense of empathy that I couldn’t have had otherwise. Going through such deep and complicated emotions at such a young age, made me look at life through a different lens. It helps me to look at people with grace. Read more>>

Ray Young

I would say that my empathy comes from various places. I connect with individuals experiencing or at-risk of homeless on a regular basis and realized that could have been me. Around the recession of 2009, I was in my twenties, had just completed my graduate degree program and ended up unemployed. I searched and searched for opportunities that I desired, then for jobs just to pay the bills, and was unable to find gainful employment for 2 years. 2 YEARS!?! I never thought this would happen to me. Read more>>

Kelly Warr

Wow! This is a deep question… I am naturally a highly sensitive person. Because of this, I naturally have the ability to emotionally understand another individuals feelings. I have quite a variety of life experiences which have allowed me to continue developing and practicing my empathy. I have a history of relationship abuse. This was a biggie in that I had to learn empathy for myself with regard to choices I made. I have close experiences with LGQTB within my family. This is another gulp (lots of processing here). Additionally, my career as a Registered Nurse and Nurse Wellness and Life Coach have contributed to developing empathy. I have diverse real life experiences. Read more>>

Tierra Ledet

Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and watched them frequently welcome others into their home. I specifically recall my grandmother welcoming family friends, extended family, and even family members’ coworkers to get a home cooked meal. She treated each person like her family despite not having much but she knew the power of family and togetherness. Read more>>

Nicole M Williams

Empathy is, in my opinion, one of the most important things you can have as an actor, and one of the greatest gifts we give the world. One of the first lessons they teach you as an actor is to never judge your character. You have take time to learn about them and truly understand them. They can never be the villain in your head. You have to have empathy. Like one of my favorite characters to play was Nikki from A Very Merry New Year. Now she is a mess, and people have some choice words for her after they see the movie. But I couldn’t honestly play her as the villain, because in her head she wasn’t the villain. She was hurt, and hurt people, well they hurt other people. Not always intentionally. In their heads they are protecting themselves from their trauma or those they consider in their circle. For Nikki, she had to abort her first child for a man she feels is her true love. But he moves on and is happy while Nikki is left broken inside. But she still wants her fairy tale ending, and believes she has to scheme and fight to get to it. Once I understood this, then I could step into Nikki’s skin and try my best to show the world who Nikki was. Read more>>

Effie-Alean Gross

My empathy for the poor and downtrodden of this world comes from my own childhood experience. A while back, I wrote in my blog: “The Privilege of Being Unprivileged.” It turned out to be a debate between my cousin and me as to who came from the poorest parents. We both finally agreed that we had something more valuable than money. My mother and father were hardworking and sacrificed for their five children. They demonstrated their love for God and for all people through their care and kindness. Oddly perhaps, the economic hardships I experienced taught me to love learning, hard work, and the God of the Bible. I appreciate my parents’ struggles with feeding their large family and paying rent, or even having enough money for a Christmas tree or presents. I now find it impossible to turn my head away from anyone in need if I have the ability to help. I’ve walked in that worn path. Read more>>